Obituary of Sarah Kate Colvin Perry

Sarah Kate Colvin Perry, age 83, of Wedowee, AL, passed away Sunday, March 1, 2015. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 11:00 am at the Wedowee First United Methodist Church with Rev. Russell Hestley and Dr. Jon Tal Murphree officiating. Burial will follow in Wedowee City Cemetery. Friends will be received at Benefield Funeral Home of Wedowee on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 from 5-8 PM. Mrs. Perry was born in Fernbank, AL on April 24, 1931 to Delma Rector and Samuel Floyd Colvin. Sarah Kate attended her beloved Auburn University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. Her children followed her lead, all five graduating from Auburn University as well. After graduating Auburn, she moved to Wedowee where she became the Home Demonstration Agent with the Randolph County Extension Service. She later worked as the Home Economics teacher with the Randolph County Board of Education. Soon after locating to Wedowee, she caught the eye of Wedowee merchant Bob Perry, and on August 21, 1956 they married and began a 50 year partnership in raising their children, working together and becoming vital members of the community. While they loved to travel and did so on numerous trips all over the world, they also enjoyed the company of close friends and were members of several bridge clubs. While Bob worked tirelessly at his many business interests, Sarah Kate was also busy establishing the Perryland Deli at their grocery store, Perryland Foods. It was there and through her catering that she endeared herself to their broad range of customers and earned the rightful reputation for serving the finest food imaginable. Her creativity with food was renown, but please never ask her for her recipe for any dish, for those were closely guarded secrets, even to her children. Sarah Kate was a devoted member of the Wedowee First United Methodist Church and an active member of the First United Methodist Women’s Day Circle and served many years in various leadership roles in the organization. She was instrumental in establishing the Caring Committee within the church that provided food for any occasion which arose in the church. And, it was her love of people that led her to become a one-person committee whenever she heard of someone in the community being sick or having lost a loved one. She was often the first one there with food and supplies and a kind word to sooth a troubled heart. Sarah Kate is survived by five children: Son, Rob (Cindy) Perry, of Wedowee; daughters: Carol (Al) Haynes of Wedowee; Susan (Wayne) Turner of Leesburg, GA; Sally (Tom) Temple of Columbia, S.C.; and, Beth (John) Drake of Blountsville, AL; grandchildren Elizabeth and Ellen Haynes; Sarah LaBruce, Mary Colvin and Thomas Temple; Drew and Sam Perry; and, Millie Grace, John Perry and Anna Beth Drake. Flowers will be accepted or memorial donations may be made to Boy Scout Troop 4711 through the Wedowee First United Methodist Church Men’s Group.