Obituary of Marie T. Perry

Kenwood-Marie Terese Perry (Cerio) passed away Thanksgiving Day after a brief, yet brave battle with COVID-19. Born on April 7th, 1937, Marie was the daughter of Anthony Francis and Lucy Cerio of Syracuse. Marie graduated from St. John the Baptist Academy and Syracuse University, where she was a music major. After graduation, she moved to Oneida and was a music teacher in the VVS school district, teaching out of the Kenwood Park School. In 1959, Marie married Frank Perry, a wonderful marriage that lasted for 57 years. In 1963, Marie and Frank built our family home at 175 Skinner Road, where Marie continued to reside prior to her passing. With a wide circle of friends, Marie was a consummate hostess, putting on all types of events at the house and community, from dinner parties, to cookouts, cocktail parties and charity events. After completing her teaching career, Marie opened The Children's Loft in the Sherrill Shopping Plaza. She ran a very successful business for almost 15 years, making friends with many of her years-long customers. In between raising a family and owning her business, Marie was busy volunteering her time and enthusiasm for various organizations: • Longtime member of the Oneida Progress Club • Board member of the Oneida Community Mansion House Service Corporation • Oneida Healthcare Follies • Oneida Healthcare White Cap Ball • Oneida Area Arts Council • Friends of the Mansion House Golf Tournament • Long time member of the Oneida Community Golf Club • Long time member of Kanon Valley Country Club • Long time member of Utica District Women’s Golf League A very good golfer in her own right, Marie immensely enjoyed her days playing golf with her numerous golf buddies. She also spent a good deal of time golfing in Destin Florida, where Marie and Frank retired to in the early 1990s. Gardening was a lifelong passion of Marie’s, with beautiful gardens and potted plants throughout the property. Even when ill health limited Marie’s scale of gardening, she still insisted on having one. Throughout her well-lived life, Marie’s special passion was the piano. While her repertoire was broad, Marie’s favorites were the classics, particularly Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven. Recently, Marie was enjoying herself mastering boogie woogie. Marie spent several hours a day practicing on her Knabe grand piano, keeping her mind sharp and her arthritic fingers limber. Marie will be remembered for her independence, kindness, grace, dignity and being the bedrock of our family. She was always supportive in family endeavors and providing her family unconditional love. While our family is heartbroken over the loss of our beloved mother, we take comfort in her memories and the very full life she lived. Marie is predeceased by her husband, Frank, her sister Rosamond Bennati, and her parents. Marie is survived by her son, Mark Perry of Phoenix, Arizona, daughter Maria Skinner and granddaughter Sophia Skinner both of Oneida, daughter and son in law Melissa and Charles Manfred of Westport NY and step-grand daughter Emily Manfred. Other surviving family members include her brother in law Gene Bennati of Sherrill, her brother and sister in law Dan and Mary Cerio of Cicero and brother in law and sister in law Robert and Lorraine Perry of Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Marie is also survived by many nieces and nephews in the United States and Canada. Marie had many close and special friends throughout her life, and we want those close to her to know how much she cared for and loved them. There will be a private viewing for immediate family due to COVID-19 restrictions. The family will host a celebration of Marie’s life in the late spring/early summer of 2021. Donations may be made to the Oneida Healthcare Foundation, 321 Genesee Street, Oneida NY 13421 or https://www.oneidahealth.org/giving/foundation/.