Elaine M. Perry

Elaine M. Perry, 88, of Waucoma, died Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 at Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waucoma with Rev. Kyle Digmann celebrating the Mass. Interment will be at St. Rose Cemetery following the service with Timothy Connell, William Parker, Seth Perry, Matthew Perry, Brock Perry and Thomas Connell serving as pallbearers.

Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waucoma. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at church on Friday.

Elaine was born May 18, 1928 in Waucoma, the daughter of Harold and Gertrude (Schissel) Marron. She attended Waucoma High School and following graduation went to beauty school in Chicago. She then started her career as a beautician there and later opened her own shop in Waucoma and ran it for over 50 years.

She married Vernon Perry on June 19, 1948 in Berwyn, Ill.

To this union six children were born. The couple later divorced.

In addition to her career as a beautician Elaine drove school bus for the Turkey Valley School District for 26 years. She was the districts first female bus driver.

Elaine enjoyed quilting, needlework, ceramics, shopping, baking and fishing trips with her family. She was a vendor at many craft shows over the years. Elaine was also a long time member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, American Legion Auxiliary and the Waucoma Historical Society. Family and faith were very important to Elaine. She was blessed with a large family and loved spending time with them.

Elaine is survived by four sons, Duane (Debra) Perry of Belmond, Chris (Donna) Perry of Mason City, Art (Beth) Perry of Waucoma, Steve (Tracy) Perry of Waucoma; two daughters, Janeen (Tom) Connell of Cedar Falls and Kathie (Clarence) Copus of Soldier Grove, Wis.; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; two sisters, JoEllen Murray of Charles City,, Colleen (LeRoy) Kuennen of Bunker, Mo.; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Mary Jane Staebell; one grandson, Benjamin Perry; one great-grandson Ryan Connell; and two brothers-in-law, Mike Staebell and Robert Murray.

Perry