Karen A. Perry of Upton, Massachusetts was surrounded by family when she died at Brigham & Women’s Hospital on November 6, 2022, after a long illness. Mrs.  Perry was 61 years old. She was born on September 12, 1961 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was the oldest of three children born to the late Harry F. Bonnet, Jr. and Anna Mae (Warren) Bonnet. Mrs. Perry is also the granddaughter of the late William and Kathryn Warren and the late Harry and Rose Bonnet.

Mrs. Perry was a 1979 Graduate of Abington Senior High School in Abington, Pennsylvania and a 1983 graduate of Bloomsburg College in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts.  Mrs. Perry married Brian M. Perry on March 23, 1991 in Abington, Pennsylvania. They enjoyed a loving marriage of thirty years before Mr. Perry’s passing on January 19, 2021. Mr. and Mrs. Perry had four adoring children consisting of Brian Perry, Jr., Connor M. Perry, Quinn P. Perry and Alanna K. Perry, all of whom survive her. Mrs. Perry is also survived by her beloved sisters, Pamela Bonnet and Linda Bonnet, both of Pennsylvania and her beloved Aunt, Deloris Harris, of Ocean City, New Jersey amongst many other cousins and relatives. She is survived, as well, by her three brothers in law, Brendan M. Perry, Christopher M. Perry and Terance P. Perry.   

Karen A. Perry was a loving mother who doted on her children, husband, parents, sisters and extended family. The Perry family enjoyed their collective love of the outdoors through the years and spent many Summers in East Falmouth, Massachusetts where they enjoyed boating, fishing, barbecuing, going to the beach and generally just being with each other. Mrs. Perry and her family were ardent lovers of Cape Cod but Mrs. Perry had a special love for the New Jersey shore which was quite literally her favorite place on Earth. She spent numerous Summers there as a youngster – her parents owned Horsey’s Bed & Breakfast there – and was always ready, on the drop of a hat, to take a trip the “The Shore.” She made numerous, life-long friends at “The Shore” and so treasured those relationships. She loved walking on the Boardwalk and thoroughly enjoyed swimming, the beaches and the vibrant culture of that great community. Mrs. Perry also had a feverish love of the city of Philadelphia and the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She never forgot where she came from and loved to visit her home State whenever time permitted. As the locals like to say: “No matter where I am I will always be a Philly Girl.”       

?Karen A. Perry enjoyed organized sports throughout her youth including three years as a varsity softball pitcher and three years as a member of both the Fall and Winter (Winter Guard) Abington High School Galloping Ghosts Marching Band (Sabre Division). Mrs. Perry was a member of the 1979 Winter Guard Band which finished as State wide runner up to the eventual State champion after a lengthy State wide playoff competition. Her father, the late Harry F. Bonnet, Jr., and her sister, Pamela Bonnet, traveled around the State that year to see Karen compete in the 1979 playoff run. Mrs. Perry was an accomplished high school athlete. She was also an avid sports fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers. Her family enjoyed their Eagles and Phillies season tickets for years. Karen was actually in the stands on October 21, 1980 when the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series. She would have so enjoyed the season that the Philadelphia Eagles are having this year (11-1). Her family is hoping that the Eagles will be crowned Champion at season’s end.        

Mrs. Perry was a great ambassador for kindness throughout her life as it was  characterized by kind acts, deeds and caring for family members in need of long term and specialized homecare. Her family has been struck, in recent days, by the outpouring of heartfelt emotion by all those who she touched. Karen A. Perry was a selfless person whose devotion to her family is the stuff of legend.  Mrs. Perry was an avid photographer who turned a hobby into a professional endeavor. Literally thousands of her photographs have been utilized in State and Federal Court proceedings alike across three decades. Approximately 100 of her photographs are located in the archives of the United States Supreme Court as she was the photographer of record in a Federal District Court case which was appealed there. None of her photographs were ever successfully objected to in any legal proceeding. She had a fantastic touch with a camera and was the Perry and Bonnet family’s photographic historian. These two families will always treasure the thousands of pictures she took. We will all miss her great wit and empathetic ear. She was a model of grace, dignity and courage for her entire life; but especially when her beloved husband died prematurely last year also at age 61.   

A moment in her most recent past illustrates Mrs. Perry’s love of life and children. She recently sold her house. The most significant part of the sale to her though was the family which was about to move into her home. They, like her, had four young children. She was incredibly excited about the fact that four young children would grow up in her home. Indeed, that was the most important part of the transaction to her. Though she had many hobbies and interests the thing that Karen A. Perry liked the most was simply just being with family and loving them.    

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Jude’s Hospital or a local food pantry. Karen, as was the case with her late husband, Brian M. Perry, was very concerned about child hunger in our Nation and World.    

There will be no wake and a service will be conducted at the Fatima Shrine in Holliston, Massachusetts on December 3, 2022 at 12:00 PM which will be followed by a burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery and a luncheon at Mazi’s Restaurant in Ashland, Massachusetts. There will be a separate celebration in Ocean City, New Jersey in July, 2023.     

We thank all those who loved Karen and were kind to her. She will be missed by us all.