Perry Nathan Rich, 12 Jan 1977 – 18 Jun 2016

RICH, DRISCOLL, DACEY, FRYE, ROTH, BRUMMEL

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 7/1/2016 at 17:12:40

Funeral Mass for Perry N. Rich, 39, Williamsburg, was held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Williamsburg. He died Saturday, June 18, 2016, at his home, surrounded by his friends and family after an 18-month battle with brain cancer.

The Rev. Joseph Roost officiated at the service.

Burial was in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Williamsburg.

A celebration of life gathering for friends and family will be held July 16 in Williamsburg.

Memorials may be made for his children’s education fund.

Powell Funeral Home, Williamsburg, was in charge of arrangements. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powell

funeralhomes.com.

Perry Nathan Rich was born Jan. 12, 1977, in Mt. Pleasant, the son of Phil and Jacque Rich. He grew up on a family farm in Crawfordsville with his three siblings. He went to school in the Washington School District starting in sixth grade and enjoyed playing basketball, football and track. He graduated from Washington High School as the salutatorian in 1995. He then went to Coe College where he played basketball, was an active participant in student government, residence life and the sports medicine program. He loved Coe College for many reasons but most of all because he met the love of his life, Darcy Driscoll, there. He went on to graduate school at the University of Iowa and graduated with his Master of Physical Therapy in May 2001.

He married Darcy Driscoll Sept. 22, 2001, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Williamsburg. The couple moved to Michigan for five years, where he was a practicing physical therapist and they had their first child, Sam, 11, there.

The family moved to Illinois in 2006 so he could pursue his dream of working for Mark Kaufman at Athletico. He was a practicing P.T. and managed an Athletico physical therapy clinic for nine years in Barrington, Ill. He loved Athletico and the people he met along the way there. His patients loved him and he loved watching his patients get stronger as every week passed.

While in Illinios, Perry and Darcy had three more children, Carly, 9; Grady, 4, and Charlie, 2. Perry was a wonderful daddy to his four beautiful children. After his morning golf rounds with buddies, he would pick up his sticks to bring “The Bigs” (Sam and Carly) out to the golf range to teach them the game he loved.

He also coached basketball and football for many years for both Sam and Carly and loved not only watching his own children grow to love the game but also all of the other children he felt so blessed to be coaching.

When he wasn’t coaching or playing golf, he was either working out, running, working in the yard or helping a neighbor. He also found time to cheer on his Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago sports teams. He loved his Hawkeyes, Cubbies, Blackhawks, Bears and Bulls. He has now passed that down to his children who have fond memories of watching all of the teams together as a family.

After being diagnosed in December 2014, Perry and Darcy moved their family back to Williamsburg in June 2015. He often told his wife that it was the best decision he ever made. With the help of the Williamsburg community, friends and family, his last year of life was full of memories, faith and love. He touched many lives during his 39 years and will continue to do so through his four beautiful children.

Rich is survived by his wife of 14 years, Darcy Driscoll Rich; four beautiful children, Samuel, 11; Carly, 9; Grady, 4, and Charlie, 2, all Williamsburg; his parents, Phil and Jacqueline Rich, Crawfordsville; two brother, Neil (Kori) Rich, Crawfordsville, and Darin (Diana) Rich, Washington; one sister, Stephanie (Tony) Dacey, St. Louis, Mo.; grandparents, Jeane Frye and Norma Jean and Vernon Roth, all Washington; a brother-in-law, Chad (Jodie) Driscoll, Williamsburg; a sister-in-law, Gina (Pat) Brummel, Williamsburg; in-laws, Bob and Linda Driscoll, Williamsburg, and 10 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Walter Rich.

Williamsburg Journal Tribune, June 22, 2016, pg 5
The Gazette, June 20, 2016, 8a