George Perry's Homegoing

George Perry [affectionately known as P1 by his friends and family], Randy's father, passed away shortly after 2:00 pm on Monday, November 10, 2003, in a Gainesville, GA, hospital.

George Perry (P1)

Some photos of George & Fannie's 50th Wedding Anniversary

67 Balloons

I hate funerals. Last week, I sat in the balcony of Mill Creek Baptist Church. This little church, located just a few miles from Dawsonville, GA, has been the site of hundreds of worship services, revivals, weddings, singings and funerals. On this particular occasion, we were saying goodbye to a dear friend, George Perry.  George - or P1 as most of his friends knew him - had been through the doors of Mill Creek Baptist Church countless times in his 67 years. As bagpipes played "Amazing Grace," he came through the door once more and for the next little while, friends and family recalled fond memories of a man who touched more people than most would imagine.  Just in case you never met George Perry, he was the father of Libbi Perry Stuffle of the Perrys and singer/evangelist Randy Perry. Another daughter, Debbie, sang with the Perrys for many years and yet another daughter, Rachel, rounded out the family. Already waiting in Heaven were two sons, Johnny and George.  More than likely, you've seen P1 and his wife Fannie at concerts literally across the country. He'd pull up in his motor home and he'd sit there in the concert hall and enjoy every note and fellowship with everyone who'd come with talking distance - or he'd catch you at the concession stand or in the parking lot. He loved people just as much as he did Southern Gospel Music. And before he left the auditorium, he'd always take one last look around to see if he missed anyone. Then, he'd go on.  When the Perrys first began traveling, P1 made sure they had the best he could possibly afford. PA equipment, bus, recordings, you name it.   He wanted to help them all he could. After all, they were his kids.   There is absolutely no way for anyone - including the family - to count just how much money he spent to help the Perrys reach the level they ultimately achieved. Just know it was a lot - and he never wanted a single penny back.  I spent a lot of time sitting and talking with P1 during that last 15 years or so. He had a keen interest in what was going on in Southern Gospel Music, where it was headed, and naturally, what role his kids were playing in it. Even after he turned the management of the group over to his kids, he never was far from the center of activity.  But more than ever, P1 was a fan. He loved Southern Gospel Music to the "nth degree." It didn't matter who was singing - if it was Southern, he found something good to say about the group. And, he meant it.  P1 didn't spend money on just his kids. There have been many groups who have benefited from Mr Perry's generosity. Sometimes, it was a meal. Maybe it was a bus repair at his trucking company's garage. Sometimes, it was just plain ole cash. When it came to helping somebody in Southern Gospel Music, P1 just couldn't say no. He never wanted those pennies back, either.  But, somewhere up in Heaven, God was keeping a tab. He kept watching P1 and making notes of every time that short guy wearing a cowboy hat did something to help spread the Word a little further. God must have gone through a lot of paper.  At the close of the services, several of us were each handed a single white balloon. Libbi told us all that "Dad always kept telling us that when a Christian died, we had it all wrong. Instead of having a funeral, we should have a home-going celebration."  And that's what we did. We celebrated P1's entry into Heaven with balloons. There were 67 white balloons, one for each year of P1's time here on earth. Libbi let the first one go, and then the rest of us did the same. Most were lifted by wind above the trees and they sailed to a better place, far, far away.  Except one. It nestled between two branches, as though it was torn between leaving and going. It stayed still, like it was looking to see if it had missed anyone.  Then it went on.

written by Danny Jones, Singing News