Frances Dippel Perry

Frances Dippel Perry, 95, of Wingate, NC, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2017, surrounded by family, close friends, PruittHealth Union Pointe staff and PruittHealth Hospice staff. Frances is remembered for her quick-wry humor and her love for her family. She was a caring, loving mother, and great cook. She loved to paint, play the piano, sew and in her later years loved to color and play bingo. She was an avid learner, and enjoyed reading and completing crossword puzzles. She had a passion for music, especially Glen Miller, the Andrews Sisters, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como. She was a skilled gardener, and could recall the common name of many Southern flowers. She loved cats, and equally birds and knew the names and sounds of most Eastern USA songbirds. She also enjoyed collecting antiques and traveling. Some of her favorite trips were to Hawaii, a cross-country Amtrak train trip, a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean and Charleston. Born in Indianapolis, IN, to Virgil Dippel and Margaret Watts Dippel. Frances fondly recalled her childhood of attending St. Marks Lutheran Church, riding her bicycle past rows and rows of tomato and corn fields; going to the movies with her family, stopping for a soda at the drug store and participating in 4H Club. In her early twenties, Frances signed up to serve in WWII with the United States Naval Reserve (Women's Reserve) WAVES, because she said, "It was the right thing to do." This enlistment took her to Washington, DC, where she earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer. She treasured her time in DC, and enjoyed working at the office where USO entertainment personalities like Irving Berlin and Bob Hope came to pick up their paychecks. While stationed in DC, she met Walter Fanton Perry, who as she described was a tall, blond, blue-eyed sailor, who was also serving in the Navy. They met at the USO one Sunday afternoon. Frances was writing a letter to her Mother; Walter was looking for someone who could play the piano. Frances said, "I can play the piano." They fell in love and married in 1946. After WWII, they made their home in Wingate, NC, where they raised four children. Frances is survived by her son James Irvin Perry of Wingate, NC, and his children - Candice Elizabeth Tickle, James Patrick Muscatello, Andrew James Perry; son Jesse Gerald Perry and daughter-in-law Sandra Lea Perry of Lake Park, NC and their children - Margaret Staley Locke, Matthew Lemuel Perry, Jessica Nicole Reinken; daughter Jane Perry Ross, son-in-law Kim F. Ross of Wingate, NC and their children - Becky Leigh Ross, Brittany Ross Bradshaw, Evan T. Ross and Madison Jacob Ross; and daughter Karen Perry Sessions, son-in-law Gary Robert Sessions of Charlotte, NC and their son Andrew Robert Sessions and seven great-grand children. A military, honor guard service will be graveside at Wingate Cemetery, located on Hwy-74 in Wingate, NC on March 18, at 11 a.m. A Celebration of Life service will be held on March 18, at 1 p.m. at the Historic Millgrove United Methodist Church located at 7311 Mill Grove Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079. Flowers can be sent to the family through The Petal Shoppe in Monroe, NC. Online condolences may be made at www.gaskinservices.com. The Perry family would like to thank the PruittHealth Union-Point staff and the PruittHealth Hospice staff for their loving care of Frances. Some of Frances' happiest days were at Pruitt.

Visitation Details

Saturday, March 18th, 2017 12:00pm - 12:45pm, Mill Grove United Methodist Church

Service Information

Saturday, March 18th, 2017 1:00pm, Mill Grove United Methodist Church

Interment Details

Wingate City Cemetery