Rev. William J. "Bill" Peery Sr.

OVERTON - Services for the Rev. William J. "Bill" Peery Sr., 76, Overton, were held Oct. 8 at London Baptist Church with the Revs. Richard Johnstone and Ken Hayman officiating.

Burial was in Pirtle Cemetery near Overton under direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Rev. Peery died Oct. 5, 2007 at his residence.

He was born Nov. 27, 1930 to the late Loren Lyman and Delia Vashti Stone Perry, and was a longtime resident of East Texas. He served as a chaplain's assistant in the Air Force during the Korean War. He received both bachelor's and master's degrees from Bob Jones University and a master's degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

He was ordained in Dallas and pastored the Meadow Gardens Baptist Church of Irving, Bowie Baptist Church of Texarkana, Eastview Baptist Church of Kilgore, and Rocky Mount Baptist Church of Overton until retirement after 18 years service. He also worked for Ana-Lab in Kilgore for 13 years.

Survivors include his wife, Jo Peery, Overton; sons, Bill Peery Jr., Longview, Paul Peery and John Peery, both of Overton, Mark Peery, Lansing, Mich., James Peery, Whitehouse, the Rev. Richard Johnstone, Fresno, Calif., Jose Benavides, Austin, and Pat Ahumada, Brownsville; daughter, Jessica Peery, Overton; brothers, Milton Peery, Anchorage, Alaska, James Peery, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Stanley Peery, Hillsboro, Ohio; sister, Betty Caddell, Florida; 22 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.