FREEPORT – Athlete, entrepreneur, environmentalist, gardener, and philanthropist, Ralph Thompson Perry of Orr’s Island, Maine, peacefully passed away at his home on Oct. 15, 2024, at the age of 94.
Perry was born Dec. 24, 1929, in Attleboro, Mass. to Lottie A. Perry and E. Joseph Perry. His middle name was in honor of his maternal grandfather, H.E.S. Thompson who played a significant role in his life as a mentor. His grandfather taught him the values of independence, financial responsibility, competitiveness, and tenacity. It was also from his grandfather that Perry learned about community service and a love of nature and its beauty.
Perry graduated from Attleboro High School in 1947 as an honor student, best athlete in his class, and class officer. In 1951 he graduated from Bates College where he was a proficient athlete in football, basketball, and baseball and was awarded seven varsity letters. He was also a class officer, student council member, and class marshal.
On Nov. 2, 1951, he married Joan Holmes, a Bates classmate and outstanding athlete and partner for 43 years who passed away August 30, 1994. They had two children, Michael and Leslie.
During 1951-1954 he was in the military as a special agent for the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) in Vienna, Austria. During this period Vienna was a four-power city occupied by the British, French, Russians, and Americans, which was similar to Berlin, Germany. The CIC was involved in strategic intelligence activities in Austria and Eastern Europe.
Upon returning to the United States, Perry was employed as a salesman for New England Telephone in Portland from 1954-1957. From 1957-1967 he was employed by International Business Machines (IBM) in the data processing division. During this period the commercial use of computers began and Perry was a successful salesman. He was always proud of his association with IBM, which he considered the finest company in America at that time.
In February 1967 Perry was able to interest Hannaford Brothers Company in the purchase of Progressive Distributors Inc. of Winthrop, Maine, as joint partners. Perry was made President of Progressive. Progressive was responsible for the buying, warehousing, transportation, and service of specialty foods, general merchandise, health and beauty aids, and pharmacy items for Hannaford Supermarkets. Progressive was the largest service merchandiser north of Boston and maintained an enviable reputation in the trade during Perry’s presidency. The company grew and prospered and was a significant economic factor in the Greater Augusta area.
Perry had four guidelines for operating his business. He believed in providing a retail service to customers that was better and less expensive than other sources and in providing a fair return on investments to stockholders. He gave wages and benefits to the company’s employees which were equal to or better than other firms in the area. His fourth principle was to support those institutions which enhanced community quality of life. Under his influence the company was a major financial supporter of Kennebec Valley YMCA, Kennebec Valley Medical Center, Augusta Kiwanis Annual Auction, Augusta YMCA, and the Kennebec Valley United Way.
Perry had high expectations of his employees, and everyone was treated with respect and dignity. Due to a productive and positive workforce, loyalty and pride flourished, and the company grew at a rapid pace. In January 1981 Perry exchanged his Progressive stock for Hannaford stock and Progressive became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hannaford. Perry continued as President of Progressive and was appointed a Senior Vice President of Hannaford Bros.
He was a former Director or Trustee of the Augusta YMCA, Kents Hill School, Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, Kennebec Valley Medical Center, Augusta Kiwanis Club, and the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. He was also one of the original directors of General Merchandise Distributor Council (GMDC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., which was formed to improve industry operating, marketing, merchandising, sales, and supplier relations.
Perry was active in various Bates College Capital Campaigns. In 1992 he and his first wife, Joan, made a major gift to Bates College to establish a scholarship endowment to benefit Maine students who have financial need. This gift gave Perry a great deal of personal enjoyment and satisfaction as he followed the progress of the recipients during their college careers.
Ralph Perry and Mary Louise Seldenfleur were married on Sept. 29, 1996 and shared many interests and values. She taught him to take the time to walk the beach, sit on the rocks, smell the roses, and relax. They traveled to all seven continents and seventy-plus countries. They enjoyed wilderness tent camping at Pocumcus Lake near Grand Lake Stream, Maine, where there was no electricity or telephone service. It provided serenity, beauty, opportunity for relaxation, conversation, reading, and views of no man-made structures for miles.
Perry and his wife have been involved in the protection and conservation of natural resources and have supported many of Maine’s environmental organizations such as Downeast Lakes Land Trust, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and the Nature Conservancy of Maine. They enjoyed the opportunity to financially support local organizations with major gifts such as various land trusts, Parkview and Mid-Coast Hospitals, Curtis Memorial Library, First Parish Church, and United Way to enhance the quality of life in the Greater Brunswick area. Other leadership gifts were made to Bangor Theological Seminary and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Auburn, Maine.
The awards which were meaningful to him were: January 1985 Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year; May 1991 recognition by Parkview Hospital for leadership, support, and encouragement of the 1990 capital campaign; the 1997 Distinguished American Award given by the Maine National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in recognition of a former football player for his public and professional contributions; in 2005 he was among a small group to be given Bates College’s Benjamin Bates Legacy status for financial contributions to the college. Also in 2005 he was elected as the first alumni member of the Bates Scholar Athlete Society which recognizes graduates who maintained a 3.5 GPA in their junior and senior years and who participated in two sports for three years. To be eligible one had to be a student athlete who was subsequently distinguished in their careers. In 2007 Perry received the Bates Distinguished Alumni Service Award for a lifetime of service to the College. In 2009 he received a Bates College Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, which recognized his philanthropy and contributions to Maine cultural, conservation, and health institutions in an attempt to improve the quality of life for Maine people.
He and Mary Louise were active at Wellesley College class reunions which he always enjoyed. Mary Louise and Ralph took the idea of a special day at Wellesley College to recognize academic projects and achievements to Bates College. They were able to convince Bates to honor student academic projects each Spring. These accomplishments were celebrated as the Mount David Summit in the Perry Atrium and it always gave them much satisfaction to attend.
During retirement Perry continued his interest in gardening. He had participated in the annual Brunswick Garden Tour on several occasions in the 1980’s and 1990’s and later gained much pleasure from his gardens on Orr’s Island. He believed gardening teaches one patience. Ralph had great affection for Maine and her people. He felt we all deserve to live in a State without environmental or health issues.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Van Gelder/Seldenfleur, Orr’s Island; his son Michael J. Perry and his wife Christine Wolfe of Freeport, his daughter Leslie J. Perry of Readfield; stepsons John P. Simpson of Cumberland Foreside, David C. Simpson and his wife Carol Eisenberg of Peaks Island, Joe Van Gelder and his wife Maya of Porter Corners, NY, and stepdaughter Maria Rehbach and husband David of Clackamas Oregon; granddaughter Morgan Cote and husband Peter of Winthrop; great-grandchildren Kaydence and Liam Allarie; step grandchildren Maxine, Charlotte, and Elias Eisenberg; Luisa and Theodore Simpson, Ethan Rehbach, Sky Van Gelder, Fredric David Van Gelder, and Heidi Wolfe.
A celebration of his life will be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Auburn, 169 Pleasant Street, Auburn, Maine on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.
Although Ralph always loved flowers, he would have been honored by any donation in his memory to charities such as:
Bates College
of Lewiston, Maine or:
the Natural Resources Council of Maine
3 Wade Street
Augusta, ME 04330