Perry
Perry Baxter
d. April 23, 2007
Perry K. Baxter, age 96, of Lanark, Illinois, died Monday, April 23, 2007, at Provena St. Joseph Center, Freeport, Illinois. A Graveside Funeral Service will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 26, 2007, at the Lanark Cemetery, Lanark, Illinois. Reverend Ellis Gene Baughton officiating. A memorial fund has been established in Perry’s honor.
Perry was born on August 17, 1910, in Pearl City, Illinois, the son of Jack and Della (Sprague) Baxter. Perry graduated from Freeport High School, Freeport, Illinois. Perry married Zoe Clark and later married Mary Luella Fairbanks.
As a young man, Perry would spend his summers north of Freeport in a cabin on the Pecatonica River fishing. His only companion being a coon hound. His mother would come to pick up the fish or he would return to town and sell them at Becker’s Market. At one time, he and his dad owned over sixty coon hounds. They also owned a champion coon hound, that competed in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa Field Trials.
Perry quit school to take a job with the Oak Brand Ice Cream Company. When the stock market crashed in 1929, he returned to school and graduated with the Freeport High School, Class of 1930. He again worked for Oak Brand where he advanced to Plant Superintendent; a position he held for many years. The family moved to Lanark in 1949 when Perry purchased the Carroll County Locker Plant. He was involved in that business until selling in 1972. Perry then became a meat inspector for the State of Illinois until retirement at the age of 80. He was an active member of the Lanark Masonic Lodge for 55 years. He became a Prince in DeMolay in Freeport in 1931.
Perry was an avid outdoorsman with a particular interest in fishing and hunting. He particularly enjoyed pheasant hunting. He looked forward to northern fishing trips with friends. A skilled carver of wild birds and duck decoys, Perry won many awards for his work and exhibited in many regional shows.
Perry will be dearly missed by his son; Jack S. (Mary Ellen) Baxter of Freeport Illinois, daughter; Jill (Robert) Rogers of Forreston, Illinois; a step-daughter, Caralee (Conrad) Aschenbrenner of Lanark, Illinois; five grandchildren, Toby (Dawn) Rogers of Freeport, Jaime (Michael) Adamany of Naperville, Illinois, Stacey Baxter Bivens of Sycamore, Illinois, Brett (Bernadette) Baxter of Enterprise, Alabama and Regan Baxter of Catonsvill, M.D. ; two step-granddaughters, Cara (Lonnie) Prowant and Margaret Aschenbrenner (Mark Williams) of Princeton, Illinois; seven great-grandchildren; and two step great-grandsons.
Perry was preceded in death by his parents; both wives and one sister, Berdine Fitchner Olsen.
Perry was born on August 17, 1910, in Pearl City, Illinois, the son of Jack and Della (Sprague) Baxter. Perry graduated from Freeport High School, Freeport, Illinois. Perry married Zoe Clark and later married Mary Luella Fairbanks.
As a young man, Perry would spend his summers north of Freeport in a cabin on the Pecatonica River fishing. His only companion being a coon hound. His mother would come to pick up the fish or he would return to town and sell them at Becker’s Market. At one time, he and his dad owned over sixty coon hounds. They also owned a champion coon hound, that competed in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa Field Trials.
Perry quit school to take a job with the Oak Brand Ice Cream Company. When the stock market crashed in 1929, he returned to school and graduated with the Freeport High School, Class of 1930. He again worked for Oak Brand where he advanced to Plant Superintendent; a position he held for many years. The family moved to Lanark in 1949 when Perry purchased the Carroll County Locker Plant. He was involved in that business until selling in 1972. Perry then became a meat inspector for the State of Illinois until retirement at the age of 80. He was an active member of the Lanark Masonic Lodge for 55 years. He became a Prince in DeMolay in Freeport in 1931.
Perry was an avid outdoorsman with a particular interest in fishing and hunting. He particularly enjoyed pheasant hunting. He looked forward to northern fishing trips with friends. A skilled carver of wild birds and duck decoys, Perry won many awards for his work and exhibited in many regional shows.
Perry will be dearly missed by his son; Jack S. (Mary Ellen) Baxter of Freeport Illinois, daughter; Jill (Robert) Rogers of Forreston, Illinois; a step-daughter, Caralee (Conrad) Aschenbrenner of Lanark, Illinois; five grandchildren, Toby (Dawn) Rogers of Freeport, Jaime (Michael) Adamany of Naperville, Illinois, Stacey Baxter Bivens of Sycamore, Illinois, Brett (Bernadette) Baxter of Enterprise, Alabama and Regan Baxter of Catonsvill, M.D. ; two step-granddaughters, Cara (Lonnie) Prowant and Margaret Aschenbrenner (Mark Williams) of Princeton, Illinois; seven great-grandchildren; and two step great-grandsons.
Perry was preceded in death by his parents; both wives and one sister, Berdine Fitchner Olsen.
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