Mary Ann Perrin

A Remarkable Woman
Mary Ann Perrin was born on April 8, 1921 in Cameron, Texas. Her parents were Harry Leland Green, Sr. and Vera Pearce Green. A lifelong member of the First Methodist Church in Cameron, she attended public schools in Cameron, graduating from C.H. Yoe High School in 1938. Thereafter, she attended Texas State College for Women, now known as Texas Women’s University, in Denton, Texas.
On December 1, 1940, she married Frank W. Perrin of Cameron. They had been sweethearts in high school and while Frank was attending Texas A&M, from which he graduated in May, 1940.
The newlyweds set up their household in Austin, Texas, where Frank worked for the Texas Highway Department. They came home to Cameron a few weeks later for Christmas. Anticipating a special holiday season with family and friends, they received a surprise. Frank was notified to report for active duty with the 18th Combat Engineers. He did so promptly.
Although this was a year before Pearl Harbor, Frank’s unit was directed to assemble, mobilize equipment, and proceed to Vancouver Barracks, Washington, where they were to build the Al-Can Highway, now known as the Alaskan Highway.
The young military couple settled into their new life, with Austin and the Highway Department in the rearview mirror. Their first child, Mark, was born in Vancouver, Washington.
Mary Ann moved back to her parents’ home on Jackson Avenue and 13th Street (now 7th Street), Cameron, where Siddy was born and where Mary Ann, Mark and Siddy lived for the duration of Frank’s deployment in the Aleutian Islands.
After Frank’s return to the States in 1945 and prior to his assignment to Ft. Belvoir (Maryland), on several occasions Mary Ann received a telegram or telephone call from Frank asking her to meet him when he had a few hours leave. Traveling as far as California by train, bus, automobile or a combination of the various modes of transportation, sometimes Frank’s transportation schedule and hers wouldn’t mesh, thereby causing them to miss their planned rendezvous.
After leaving Vancouver Barracks in early 1942 Frank did not see Mark or even meet Siddy until mid-1945 when Mary Ann and the children met Frank (who was on brief leave) at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. Mary Ann frequently remarked that Frank, upon seeing his wife holding the hands of two energetic toddlers, was overcome with emotion.
Following Frank’s honorable discharge from the Army at the conclusion of World War II, the family lived in various locations in Central Texas.
Frank worked in research at the Texas A&M Low-Speed Wind Tunnel located at Easterwood Airport in College Station before becoming County Engineer for Burleson County, Texas in approximately 1949. They built their home in Cameron in 1950-1951. Mike, Marilyn, Bill and Harry were born in Cameron.
Mankind never saw a better mother than Mary Ann Perrin. Nurturing and caring at home, she carried forth compassion for her children and their friends through service at the church, as a perpetual “home room mother” for six children for years. With great care and love for her church  and “all of God’s children,” she taught Sunday School for many years.
A great joy in her life spanned decades. That would be the arrival of grandchildren and later great grandchildren. From the first in 1964 through today, a continuous and continuing company of descendants gave her great joy, care, and the investment of prayer, along with a dose of wisdom accumulated over her lifetime. Such wisdom was passed on by different methods, depending on whether the child in question needed a pat on the back or a swat to the backside, but always with love.
Mary Ann instilled in her children and descendants a love for faith, a love for music, a love for and commitment to reading and analysis, and a devotion to duty as life called forth. In that regard, she lovingly cared for Frank for the 24 years he spent in a wheelchair following a devastating stroke in 1971.
Mary Ann was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Frank W. Perrin, in 1995, and by her beloved eldest child, Mark, in 2015. Her parents, brothers Leland, Jr. and Carroll and one sister, Kathryn, also predeceased her. She was preceded in death by beloved grandson Matthew Dillon and beloved great-grandsons Carter Key and Cash Key.
She is survived by her children Vera Ann (Siddy) Perrin Dillon, Michael Perrin (Melinda), Marilyn Perrin Ottis (Bill), William Perrin (Ann) and Harry Perrin (Martha) and daughter-in-law Betty Kestenbaum Perrin.
She is also survived by sister-in-law Dorothy Perrin Carroll and brother-in-law Wayne Perrin.
Grandchildren and great-grandchildren cherish the memory of their beloved GrandMother Mary Ann (GrandMary): Jill Perrin Welty (Jim) and children Paige, Tyler and Sam; Carol Perrin and son Sam; Lynn (Brooke) Hyde-Perrin and son Aidan; Mike Dillon (Jenn Francino); Mindy Dillon (Paul Steinhofer) and children Christian, Zachary, Samantha and Aurora; Melanie Dillon (Jay DonFrancisco) and children Evan and Mia; Elizabeth Eades (Jonathan) and children Oliver, Lilla and George; Carter Perrin (Lizzy) and daughters Grace and Eliza; Hunter Perrin (Mary Bonner) and Baby Perrin; Jason Key and children Skyler, Brent and Bridgette; Brian Ottis (Kristi); Shaw Ottis (Loren) and sons Maddox, Colin and Griffin; Steve Key (Carisa) and sons Camron, Carson, Cooper and Creece; Greg Perrin (Laura) and son Benjamin; Thomas Perrin (Ashley) and daughters Nicole, Johanna and Jamie; Paige Kinney (Matt); David Perrin; Drew Perrin (Kristen); and Harrison Perrin.
A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church in Cameron on Friday, May 6 at 1 p.m. with a reception following at the Fellowship Hall. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P O Box 528, Cameron, Texas 76520 or to Texas A & M Foundation, Jay Roberts c/o Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, 3136 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-3136, Reference Mr. And Mrs. Frank W. Perrin Scholarship in Engineering.