Remembering Ronald S. Perry - 1932-2024

Dear Members of the Catholic Memorial Community,

 

It is with profound sadness that I share that our beloved Mr. Ronald S. Perry P’76, CM’s first lay faculty member, basketball coach, and athletic director passed away at the age of 92. His impact on our school will forever be remembered and appreciated. Our prayers go out to his extended family, and the CM family for whom he had such a lasting impact.

 

Ron Perry was one of the most well-known athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators in the history of New England secondary schools and colleges. Mr. Perry was also one of the finest athletes ever to play or coach in New England. A stand-out, multi-sport state champion at Somerville High, Mr. Perry was also the only New England collegiate athlete to be a member of national championship teams in two major sports.

 

Mr. Perry was part of the 1952 Holy Cross baseball team that won the NCAA Championship. He also captained the 1954 Holy Cross basketball team that won the National Invitational Tournament. Mr. Perry was drafted by the Celtics in 1954, but eventually signed with the Boston Braves after graduating from Holy Cross. 

 

In 1958, Mr. Perry was the first lay teacher hired by Brother McKenna at Catholic Memorial. This decision would change the lives of so many young men and the future of CM. Mr. Perry created an athletic culture based on sportsmanship and excellence that continues today. He guided CM basketball teams to three state championships, four Tech Tournaments, eight New England Catholic Tournament titles and ten consecutive Conference crowns.  He led his Knights over thirteen years to 292 wins and 34 losses.

 

Mr. Perry left CM to return to his alma mater, Holy Cross, where he served as the Athletic Director from 1972 until 1998. The Holy Cross athletic program flourished under Mr. Perry’s guidance as he led Crusader athletics toward regional and national prominence. Mr. Perry is the longest serving AD in Holy Cross history; he oversaw tremendous improvements in the Holy Cross’s athletic programs, facilities, and was a champion for women’s athletics. Mr. Perry received many national awards and recognitions and is honored in multiple Athletic Hall of Fames, including Catholic Memorial and Holy Cross.

 

CM dedicated the Ronald S. Perry Gymnasium in 2012, to ensure that all future Knights would be inspired by his legacy. The impact that Mr. Perry has had on his former students and athletes is substantial. This lasting impact on these men and their lives means more than all the games that he won.

 

At CM, each day and through his time at Holy Cross, Mr. Perry strove to instill honor, discipline, courage, fortitude, humility, and hard work in everyone he encountered. In 2021, Mr. Perry became the first recipient of Catholic Memorial’s Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice Award.

 

Mr. Perry was a loving and proud father to his daughters Maryellen and Patrice. His son Ronnie graduated from CM in 1976 and had his own storied athletic career at both CM and Holy Cross. Mr. Perry was blessed with nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

 

I remain inspired by Mr. Perry' devotion and dedication to his wife Patricia, who he was married to for fifty-nine years. Mrs. Perry was also a beloved member of the CM faculty from 1969-1975 as an Assistant Librarian and English teacher. After the passing of his wife. Mr. Perry would come to CM each morning to sit in front of our school on the bench that was dedicated in her memory in 2015.

 

The entire CM community looked forward to seeing Mr. Perry each day on our campus. CM students, faculty, and staff joined him in daily prayer in our school’s chapel. We all loved spending time with him and gained true wisdom from him. He will be missed here at our school, where he was truly loved by a new generation of students, teachers, coaches, and staff. His legacy will continue in everyone that he encountered.

 

For funeral arrangements and to see Mr. Perry's memorial webpage with other information, please click this link.

 

Sincerely,