He was born April 11, 1941, in Raymondville, son of Charles Van and Ella Mae Shipp Perryman. He and Dottie Ann Coffman were married in August 1962. He married Janis Marie Hurley on Jan. 22, 1999.
He grew up in the Raymondville area. He attended grade school at Brown Hill and graduating from Houston High School in 1959.
He was saved at a young age and was a member of Central Baptist Church.
He enjoyed bowling, drawing, fishing, hunting and woodworking. He raced stock cars during the 1970s. He devoted many evenings working on his and his good friend Moe Miller's car, spending time at Lester Portrey and J.D. Morton's garages and Saturday nights racing. He also drove for Jim Hood and Larry Hurley when he gave up racing his own car. He had several fishing and gigging buddies and fished several tournaments with his Doss and Harper co-workers. He spent many evenings sharing time at "the corner.” He was a constant optimist in his pursuit to win the lottery.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Olive Brannam and Jane Kirkwood; four nieces; and two nephews.
Survivors include his wife, Janis of Houston; his father-in-law, Fred Hurley of Milan, Ill.; two daughters, Darla Spencer of Raymondville and Pamela Jones of Houston; a stepson, Jamie Wildhaber of Roxana, Ill.; a stepdaughter, Jodi Wildhaber of Ferguson; two grandsons; a step-granddaughter; a step-grandson; two sisters, Betty Cooper of Houston and Patsy Foutch of Havana, Ill.; his great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at Evans Funeral Home with Wesley Wallace and Van Kirkwood officiating. Burial will be in Central Baptist Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Central Baptist Cemetery. To send an online condolence, go to www.evansfh.com.