Enrique Barillas
A beautiful smile, a strong character, a generous soul, a forgiving spirit, a joyful friend, the most kindred heart… these and many more gems shinned out of Jeanne Perry.
Hard to believe that we will no longer enjoy her burst of laughter, Jeanne always appreciated a good joke, her wit was always timely and had a multiplying effect of elevating one’s spirit.
I remember being a kid when I first met Jeanne on one of her many trips to Mi Casa, an orphanage in Guatemala. Jeanne was always caring, supportive, had kind and uplifting words with all the children. She always had dozens of children around her, sitting on the floor listening to her stories and playing with them. The language barrier was erased with her profound blue eyes and a ready smile to all.
Jeanne was involved in relief efforts during the Vietnam war supporting a group of nuns working with children. Right after the US left Vietnam in 1975, Jeanne started supporting and eventually became the backbone to a new program that was started in Guatemala City in Central America in 1976. The program, still opened today, has housed, feed, educated and cared for over 12,000 children in need. From the US Jeanne was able to muster support for the organization and often would travel down bringing toys, school supplies, pots, pans, and whatever gifts she could gather from friends to the girls and boys at Mi Casa. To date Mi Casa sponsors and supports over 600 children in Guatemala. Jeanne and John Wetterer, the founder of the program, went through many hardships setting up the program and kept if going for close to fifty years. Jeanne Perry was an angel to the organization and the thousands of children being offered a better future.
I will miss Jeanne every day. She was a mentor, a friend, a mother to us all at the orphanage. She will be forever 39 (a personal joke). The last time she communicated with me was through a joke: She said “I think I’am becoming a Snap Dragon: part of me is snapping, the other part is dragging…” That’s how I’ll remember Jeanne: not taking life too serious but enjoying every aspect it.
The many times we discussed our family members and friends passing away, one topic always came up: butterflies. When the founder of Mi Casa was called to the presence of the Lord, Jeanne sent me a beautiful card with butterflies. Now Her wings have been called to action, her soul was summoned to bring happiness to Heaven. Jeanne is now a butterfly in Paradise.
Tears of joy accompany my heart today knowing that Jeanne will be forever our minds and hearts.
To Tiffany, Tam, Mathew, Michael and their families, our sincere thanks for sharing their mother with us. A big hug to you all.
Enrique Barillas