Through a generous gift from Don and Janie Bonham, the legacy of their late son-in-law, Brian Perry, will continue through an endowed scholarship in his name with the Paris Junior College Memorial Foundation.
Perry dedicated over 30 years of his career in law enforcement with the majority of that time with the Texas Department of Public Service. Perry passed away Sept. 26, 2019, just weeks after retiring from a distinguished career in law enforcement.
“Paris Junior College values the lives of our alumni,” said PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin. “The opportunity to assist other students pursuing a career in law enforcement, criminology or sociology are noble careers. We are honored to assist the Bonham and Perry families in creating an opportunity to help students pursue a career such as Mr. Perry had.”
A retired special agent of the Texas DPS, Perry began his career in law enforcement shortly after graduating from Paris High School. He initially worked at a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Facility, before joining the Lamar County Adult Probation Office.
Perry attended PJC between 1984-86 and graduated from then-East Texas State University, now Texas A&M University-Commerce. He entered the DPS Academy on Dec. 6, 1994 and graduated with the Class of B-94 on June 2, 1995. Prior to returning to Paris and Lamar County, Perry was stationed in Greenville.
Perry was promoted to special agent, Narcotics Division, on Oct. 1, 2002, in Garland, and continued to be stationed in Paris until he retired Aug. 31, 2019.
A native of Paris, Perry was an active member of the First United Methodist Church-Connections Campus and was involved in both the Northeast Texas Emmaus and Chrysalis communities.
He is survived by his wife, Cheryl, to whom he was married 27 years and blessed with two children, Nichole Perry and Chase Perry; parents, Thomas and Annie Perry; brother, Brad Perry and wife Kim; father and mother-in-law, Donald and Janie Bonham; brother-in-law, Brent Bonham; and sister-in-law, Vicki Bonham Flenniken and husband Blake.
Gifts in memory of Perry may be sent to PJC Office of Institutional Advancement, c/o Brian Perry Endowment Fund, 2400 Clarksville Street, Paris, TX 75460.
For additional information or to make a donation in honor or memory of another individual, please contact Derald Bulls, director of institutional advancement, at (903) 782-0276 or [email protected].
