Kenneth L. Perrin, 77, of Concord, passed away on Dec. 20, 2022, at Emerson Hospital after living with Alzheimer’s disease for 10 years. He was the loving husband of Judith (Corey) Perrin for 24 years.
Ken was born Nov. 2, 1945, in Dayton, Ohio to the late Curtis and Mary (Hill) Perrin. Ken grew up in Centerville, Ohio. In high school he played trumpet in the National Cash Register (NCR) summer band that played at the company’s employee park. He earned a music scholarship to Ohio State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications.
Music continued to be an especially important part of his life. During and after college he played professionally in folk groups and bands. He performed on guitar, piano and keyboards, trumpet, and also vocals. In 1975 he moved to Boston to attend Boston School of Electronic Music (BSEM) and went on to become an instructor at the school. He thoroughly enjoyed music whether he was listening to his favorites Arnold Schoenberg, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, and Tom Paxton, or composing his own songs. He played the piano right up to a couple of weeks prior to his death, to the delight of staff and clients at Cooperative Elder Services and later at the memory care facility where he resided.
After attending BSEM, he worked in the high-tech industry for several companies including MicroAmerica where he was VP of Product Planning until he started his own marketing consulting firm.
Ken was a skilled tennis player. He played on several teams and was a tennis instructor at The Marcus Lewis Tennis Center. An avid walker and hiker, at age 70 he turned to running, being attracted to this new sport, and completed several 5K races.
Ken was a creative, kind, and compassionate person. He loved abstract expressionist art, took an interest in painting for a time and was recognized as a talented writer. Ken enjoyed cooking, from making bread to soufflés, and especially enjoyed making homemade pizzas on Friday evenings.
Before settling in Concord, Ken lived in Salem for several years. He loved the ocean and made regular day trips to the north shore in later years. His favorite place to vacation was New Mexico, where he enjoyed hiking, visiting art galleries, and sampling New Mexican cuisine.
In addition to his wife, Judy, he is survived by his brother, Keith Perrin and sister-in-law Nancy Perrin of Ohio, mother-in-law, Anne Corey of NH, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pam and Dan Thompson of NH, niece Emily Perrin, her fiancé Dante, and her children Tyler and Brooklyn of Texas, and a cousin Teri Hill Stalder and her husband Bill, their son Barry, their daughter, Jill and her son, Tannor, all of Ohio. Ken was predeceased by his parents, his grandmother Arentha Perrin, and his sister, Kathryn Perrin Dodge.
A memorial service for Ken will take place in the spring. Details will be shared on the Dee Funeral Home website, once finalized.
Ken’s family wishes to thank the outstanding care team at Cooperative Elder Services, Inc where Ken benefitted from attending a day program. Many thanks to the caregivers and all the friends who made it possible for Ken to enjoy his time at home before recently moving to memory care in November.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to The Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) www.bmop.org/. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in Ken’s online guestbook, visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.
