Former Harvard police chief, Vietnam veteran, longtime area funeral director
Cappy Perry. (Courtesy photo)
Charles A. Perry Jr., age 75, passed away on Jan. 6, 2020, surrounded by his family, after a long battle with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Cappy, as he was fondly known, was born on Aug. 21, 1944, to the late Charles and Evelyn (Cowles) Perry, in Farmington, Connecticut.
Cappy spent most of his youth in Wrentham, where he would go on to become a police officer in 1965. He graduated with honors from the New England Institute of Anatomy, Boston, in 1967. In October 1967, he entered into duty with the United States Army, serving a tour in Vietnam where he worked as a mortuary identification specialist. After returning from Vietnam, he continued his career as a police officer, earning a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Northeastern University in 1973 and a Master of Education in criminal justice and human services from Boston University in 1981.
On Aug. 28, 1976, he married his loving wife, Janice Marcelino. They had two children, Jeffrey and Lisa, and the family of four moved to Harvard in 1984, when Cappy became chief of police. He saw his job as much more than law enforcement, and on stormy winter nights he made a practice of dropping in on elderly residents to make sure they were safe at home and had everything they needed.
After retiring from law enforcement in 1992, he returned to his passion of helping others in their time of need by working full time as a funeral director. He knew it was a tough time for the family, and he wanted to make it a little easier for them.
Cappy is survived by his brother Eddie, sister Christine, wife Janice, children Jeffrey and Lisa, daughter-in-law Courtney, and grandson Cooper, as well as eight nieces and nephews. Cappy will be remembered as an amazing person who always lent a helping hand and a smile.
The family extends a special thank you to the staff at Crestwood Center nursing home in Milford, New Hampshire.
Visiting hours will be held at the McGaffigan Family Funeral Home, 37 Main St. (Rte. 113), Pepperell, on Thursday, Jan. 9, from 3 to 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. A funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 130 South St., Wrentham, Massachusetts, on Friday, Jan. 10, at 11 a.m. Kindly meet at the church. Interment with United States Army military honors will follow in Wrentham Center Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey, 300 Arnold St., Wrentham, MA 02093 or to Crestwood Center Resident Council Fund Attn: Activities Department, 40 Crosby St., Milford, NH 03055. The family kindly requests that memories of Cappy be sent to memoriesofcharlesperry@gmail.com. Please see www.mcgaffiganfuneral.com.
