James Oliver Perry

Mr. James Oliver Perry, 73, of Newport, passed away Tuesday, October 30­, 2018, at the Crystal Coast Hospice House.

The family will hold a visitation and memorial celebration from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 24, 2018, at the home of Cheryl and Jim Boggs at 1707 Hanford Hills Road, Graham, NC, 27253.

A native of Alamance County, he was the husband of 56 years to Marjorie Mansfield Perry, who survives and the son of Oscar James and Mary Haygood Perry, both deceased.

Mr. Perry attended Williams High School. He honorably served in the US Army as a combat engineer from 1966 to 1972, including a tour of duty in Vietnam.

James opened C&P Automotive with Steve Crawford in 1976, and in 1977 he founded Perry’s Automotive on Durham Street Extension in Burlington. December 1979, James and Marjorie moved to Emerald Isle and opened Perry’s Automotive on Sandpiper Lane. During 1992, James and Marjorie moved to 369 White Oak Drive, Newport and opened Perry’s Automotive at that location. Due to health conditions, James had to retire in March 2016.

James was interested in NASCAR racing. He began racing at ACE Speedway, 311 Speedway, Stokesdale Speedway and Orange County Speedway before he went in the US Army and he continued racing up until 1979.

In addition to his wife, Marjorie, of the home, survivors include his son, Clinton James Perry and fiancée Annie Dragisity of San Francisco, CA; daughter, Cheryl Ann Boggs and husband James “Jim” of Graham, NC; 5 grandchildren, Oscar Perry of San Francisco, CA, Zachary Parrish of Durham, NC, Kimberly Parrish of Graham, NC, Scott Boggs and wife Lois of Canton, GA and David Boggs and wife Courtney of White, GA; 2 great-grandchildren, Lilian and Oliver Boggs of Canton, GA; 2 sisters, Elaine P. Hall of Burlington, NC and B.J. Wilkinson and husband Bob of Graham, NC; 2 sisters-in-law, Nancy Thomas and husband Wade “Dude” of Haw River, NC, and Mary Lou Ray of Apex, NC; 2 brothers-in-law, George Mansfield of Burlington, NC and David Mansfield and wife Janice of Graham, NC.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his mother and father-in-law, Elizabeth and Earl Mansfield of Burlington, NC; 1 sister-in-law, Patricia Neese of Mebane, NC; and 2 brothers-in-law, Kenneth Mansfield and Billy Ray, Sr. both of Burlington, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the SECU Crystal Coast Hospice House at P.O. Box 640, Newport, NC 28570.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.