Perry Ellis Smith

Perry Ellis Smith

Surprise, Ariz.

Perry Ellis Smith, 83, of Surprise, Ariz., and formerly of both Cedar Rapids and Okoboji Iowa, passed away on Dec. 23, 2022, after complications from an ongoing, long-term respiratory condition. A family celebration of life ceremony will be scheduled in Perry’s hometown of Okoboji later this spring.

Perry was born on Dec. 21, 1939, to Byron and Stella Smith in Spirit Lake, Iowa, as the third of five

children. He graduated from Arnolds Park High School in 1957 and promptly enlisted in the U.S. Army. After serving four years in the Army, Perry attended Iowa Lakes Community College receiving a degree in accounting in 1963.

In June of 1965, Perry married Coleen Mitchell of Estherville, Iowa. He worked for Campbell Soup Company as an accountant from 1965 to 1972 in Worthington, Minn., and later in Camden, N.J. During this timeframe, Perry and Coleen welcomed two children: Jeffrey Nelson (1965) and Jill Anne (1967).

In 1973, the young Smith family moved to Solon, Iowa, as Perry and began working as an accountant at Square D Company in Cedar Rapids. In the fall of 1975, Perry purchased Vasey Insulation Company in Marion, Iowa, which he owned and operated until his retirement in 2001. The business thrived under Perry's ownership and grew to three total locations in eastern Iowa. In addition to the insulation businesses, Perry also pursued his love of homebuilding. He built several custom homes in the area and lived in many of them over the years.

In April of 2002, Perry married Susan Schmidt in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Perry and Sue split their early retirement years between homes in both Arizona and Okoboji until 2009 when they made the Phoenix area their full-time home. Besides being a successful business owner and supportive father, Perry enjoyed time with his wife, Sue, frequenting flea-markets, playing the slots at local casinos, working on many home improvement projects, and lounging on Lake Okoboji. Perry was quick-witted, outgoing, generous, and hard-working. As a former collegiate basketball player, Perry was a lover of sports and watching NASCAR in his later years.

Perry is survived by his wife, Susan Smith of Surprise, Ariz.; along with three siblings: brother, Pierre (Sharon) Smith of Tulsa, Okla., and sisters, Pamela Cooney (Steve Kline) of Mankato, Minn.; and Peggy (Roger) Jones of Okoboji, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his youngest sibling, Preston (Mary) Smith of Grand Rapids, Mich. Perry is survived by his two children, Jeff Smith (Beth Meyer) of Coralville, Iowa, and Jill Smith-Aguirre (Roberto) and his two grandchildren, Sophia Aguirre and Gabriella Aguirre, all of North Liberty, Iowa. Perry is also survived by step-daughter, Andrea Alt of Long Island, N.Y.; and step-grandsons, Spencer, Jackson and Nikolas; as well as step-son, Paul Schmidt (Christine) and step-granddaughter, Harper, of Chicago, Ill.

Please contact Jeff Smith @smitj5465@gmail.com for comments or questions.