Former resident, gallery owner, engineer
Perry Schwarzer. (Courtesy photo)
Peregrin F. Schwarzer, 91, formerly of Harvard, died on August 1, 2015, and now joins his loving wife, Carol, who predeceased him in 2009.
Perry was born in Syracuse, New York, on April 16, 1924, to Peregrin O. Schwarzer and Marie (Schenkenberger) Schwarzer. He grew up in Syracuse, and then the family moved to a farm in Manlius, New York. Perry went to local schools before attending and graduating from Phillips Academy in Andover. He then joined the U.S. Navy, was sent to Bates College in Maine for officer training under the Navy’s V-12 program, and was commissioned as an ensign. After he was released from naval service, he returned to Bates College and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1948, and a year later earned his Master of Arts in physics from Boston University. While still at Bates he met his future wife, Carol Johnson. They married in 1950 and lived in Andover, where they started their family that eventually included five children.
Perry’s first career was in engineering. He initially worked for Anderson-Nichols & Co. in Boston on early printed circuit boards and cryptic teletype machines. He then worked in technical projects at locations around the world for Boeing and, after returning to Massachusetts and settling with his family in Harvard, for Raytheon. He retired in 1986. During all those years, especially as he traveled for his work both in the United States and overseas, Perry enjoyed meeting artists, collecting art and antiques, and learning how to frame art.
His second career built on that love for art. Perry and Carol opened the Frederic Gallery in Littleton. Carol worked in the front of the store while Perry enjoyed framing work in the back shop. He continued to meet with artists and expand his collections to include antique scientific instruments and other unique treasures. In 2007 they decided to close the gallery.
Perry is survived by a younger brother, Carl F. Schwarzer. He is also survived by his five children: Karin L. Hamilton of Old Lyme, Connecticut; Perry J. Schwarzer (and Audrey Kilcoyne) of Greenfield; Peter M. Schwarzer (and Marylee Deland Schwarzer) of Holden; Christopher C. Schwarzer (and Janet Deland Schwarzer) of Mansfield; and Kurt F. Schwarzer (and Sharlene Worth) of Block Island, Rhode Island; older grandchildren Jessica Hibbert, of Old Lyme, Connecticut; Kaitlin Spang (and Jared Spang) of South Glastonbury, Connecticut; Brett Hamilton (and Elizabeth Storvick Hamilton) of Walworth, New York; Emily Schwarzer (and Kyle Schwartz) of Northampton; younger grandchildren Christopher R. J. Schwarzer; Carolee Schwarzer; Kyle Schwarzer; Delaney Schwarzer; and Mark Schwarzer; and great-grandchildren Brianna Collins; Jacob Gergler; Helena Hamilton; Taylor Spang; and Lauren Spang; along with other relatives.
Perry’s ashes will be combined with those of his late wife, and the family will have a private memorial service to celebrate both their lives.
