Obituary – Janice “Diane” Perry
Diane was called to Heaven at 1:03 p.m. on June 26, 2025, at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 81 years, 8 months, and 30 days. At Diane’s side was her husband of 63 years, Thomas Perry, along with their dear friends Deacon Gary Gorman, and his wife Norma, as well as Pastor David Jett and wife Debbie. Diane is survived by her husband, Thomas Perry, of Licking, Mo.; daughter, Tamara Strain and husband Tom, of Kodiak, Alaska; two sons, Brian Perry and wife Barbara, of Interlaken, Switzerland; Scott Perry, of Spokane, Washington; sister, Linda Norton, of Lebanon, Mo.; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Diane was born September 27, 1943, in Doniphan, Missouri, to Tyke and Myrtle (Rodebush) Burrows, who preceded her in death. She accepted Christ at a very early age at the First Baptist Church of Fremont, Missouri, where she first began playing devotional hymns on the piano and taught Sunday school youth. Diane later became a member of Montauk Baptist Church and loved her church family. She was a pianist at five different churches and played at more than one hundred weddings and funerals.
She grew up in Fremont, Missouri, and graduated from Van Buren High School as Salutatorian of her senior class of 1961. She attended the University of Missouri where she married her high school sweetheart, Tom Perry, on December 27, 1961. After their daughter was born in Columbia, Mo., they moved their new family to Bennett Springs State Park in 1964. Later, after moving to Montauk State Park in December of 1965, their two sons were born in Houston, Mo. Diane worked at the Montauk Lodge for a time before serving as the secretary for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at Montauk State Park for 22 years, from 1973 to 1995. She also volunteered for a number of years at the Licking United Community Center.
Diane cherished traveling with family and encouraged them to be independent and good workers. She visited 49 states, five countries, and every Missouri State Park. She enjoyed backpacking in the Rocky Mountains where she hiked up to 14, 000 feet elevation. Diane hiked the Ozark Trail, Katy Trail, and many other trails within state parks. She floated hundreds of miles in canoes along the Current River, Eleven Point River and Jacks Fork River. She enjoyed bicycling and cycled most of the Katy trail. She quilted many blankets for her family, read many books, and enjoyed dining out with friends and family. However, nothing made her smile more than recounting the accomplishments and exploits of her children and grandchildren. She is being and will be deeply missed.
A visitation for Diane will take place Wednesday, July 2, 2025, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Fox Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Montauk Baptist Church. A graveside service will follow later that afternoon on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 4 p.m. in Poca Hollow Cemetery in Van Buren, Mo. Online condolences may be left at www.foxfh.net. Arrangements are entrusted to Fox Funeral Home.
