John E. Perry

John Emmett Perry, of Dubuque, passed away January 17, 2026, at the age of 85.

John is survived by his child, Indigo (“Indy”) Perry. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Judy (Ferguson); his sisters, Betty Jean Hessenius and Mary Ann Willett; and his son, Jacob, who was lost in miscarriage.

John was born March 23, 1940, in Central City and grew up in Paris, Iowa. He spent his youth hunting, fishing, and trapping along the Wapsipinicon River and graduated from Central City High School in 1958. He was married briefly in the 1970s, but met Judy in September of 1980 and married her on Valentine’s Day of 1981, joking that this way he would never forget their anniversary.

He was a simple man who enjoyed spending time in East Dubuque watching the trains. He loved food and was quick to ask anyone who visited to bring a cheddarwurst. He also enjoyed going to concerts and drag shows, doing puzzles, as well as spending time in fellowship with others. John was a proud supporter of local labor unions and the Democratic Party.

His family would like to thank the staff at Harmony for caring for him over the past seven years, as well as Pat for his friendship. We also thank the care teams at UnityPoint and Hospice for their compassion and support during his transition.

A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 23, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. All are welcome!

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.