Leland Perry

Leland Francis Perry was born January 31.1923, in Concordia, KS, to Frank and Mae (Springsted) Perry. He was the youngest behind Lorene and Dwight. He grew up on East 9th digging caves and smoking coffee grounds with Roland and the Hood brothers.

Leland started sacking groceries in high school at Boogaart's store on 5th Street. Apparently, he liked the job because except for doing his part to save the world for democracy in WW II, it was the only job he ever had. He graduated from Concordia High School in 1941, joined the Army Air Force in 1942, and spent the war in England with his brother, Dwight. He returned to Concordia and Boogaart's. He went from sacking to bookkeeping, to salesman on the road, to store manager, to office manager, eventually becoming president of the company and never felt like he worked a day in his life. He wore a tie every day, even when pheasant and quail hunting, and ate breakfast every morning at the Skyliner with Milt, Marion, Wimp, Jim, Dale, Bill, Keith, Ron, and the rest of the Boogaart crew.

Leland met Bernita Thoman at a dance in Clyde after the war and they married on January 31,1947. It was a match made in heaven. Once married, they got busy and didn't let up until Bernita passed 72 yrs later. They had three children as fast as you can have three children – Cynthia Kay, Stanton Bruce, and Deeanna Gayle. They bought a house (no mortgage) on Broadway. His sister, Lorene Huscher, lived on the same street. They had eight grandchildren: Tjorvi Ellert, Ylfa Yr, Solvi Steinn, Tristan Stone, Elizabeth Erin, Andrew Perry, Jessica Lauren, and Nyasha Elise, and 15 great grandchildren.

His favorite saying was, ‘If you don't believe me, I'll show you my watch.’ Nobody ever figured out what he was talking about.

He was a Sunday school teacher, a Deacon, an Elder, a school board member, president of the Country Club, a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Concordia and after moving to Lawrence, KS, in 1986, a member of the WestSide Presbyterian Church. Weeds never even thought about growing in his lawn. He was a better than average amateur carpenter and draftsman, did tax returns for family and friends and volunteered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and LINK. He never lost his ability to laugh at himself.

For most of their time together Leland and Bernita were too busy for dancing but every once in a while, a Glenn Miller song on the record player or radio would spark a turn around the kitchen. As he drew his last breath, at home, while listening to Glenn Miller there's little doubt what he had planned with Bernita.