Perry, 60, was V.P. for Public Relations at privately-held Chick-Fil-A headquartered in College Park, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Erica M. Martinez, a Chick-fil-A spokeswoman, confirmed the news Friday afternoon. "We are saddened to report the news to you that our dear friend Don Perry, vice president of public relations, passed away suddenly this morning," she said. "Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years." Martinez added: "For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him." WRBL News 3 in Georgia reported the cause of the death to be a heart attack.
"I came on board in 1983 to literally start the public relations function here, because the company was young, growing & emerging," Perry told Georgia Magazine. "The company was trying to move beyond just a small, regional family chain to become a national brand." Perry, a native of rural Valdosta was a 1974 graduate of the University of Georgia who joined Chick-fil-A in 1983 to launch the public relations department at the growing company."My expression routinely is 'there are no dull days,'" he told alumni publication Georgia Magazine in a profile published in June. "You just don't know what's going to happen moment to moment." Perry was portrayed as protective of the company in a 2003 Fortune Small Business story. He is quoted questioning the motives of a reporter in a piece about the religious beliefs of the company's founder. "What would you like to do? Are you going to continue on a religious kind of thing, or are you going to concentrate more on the Chick-fil-A business?"
He became an elder of his church in 1997, according to information posted on the website of Hillcrest Church of Christ. The church said Perry enjoyed "leading his church fellowship cell group, as well as working to help maintain harmony in the congregation."
"One of the challenges sometimes is helping to reconcile differing views among members," Perry said, according to the church, "but we work to keep unity of the faith."
He was preceded in death by his parents of Valdosta, Georgia; J.C."Buster"Perry in 2004 & Oma Williams Perry in 2000; 3 brothers, Roman, Robert, & Leonard Perry. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The University of Georgia Arch Foundation. Donald was married to Marilyn Baker Perry. To this union three sons were born: Brandon (Iris), Jason (Summer) & Donald "Kris;" & grandson, Jason Alexander. Among survivors are 4 sisters: LaVerne Shiver-Carter(Sully), Mary Nell Bryant(LaBarfield), Linda Denton(Lonnie), Velma Miles (John); 2 brothers: James Jr. & Bernard (Sheena).
Services were to be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Church of Christ where Donald served as an Elder. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting any donations in Donald's memory be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ Building Program (1939 Snapfinger Rd., Decatur, GA 30035).
"I came on board in 1983 to literally start the public relations function here, because the company was young, growing & emerging," Perry told Georgia Magazine. "The company was trying to move beyond just a small, regional family chain to become a national brand." Perry, a native of rural Valdosta was a 1974 graduate of the University of Georgia who joined Chick-fil-A in 1983 to launch the public relations department at the growing company."My expression routinely is 'there are no dull days,'" he told alumni publication Georgia Magazine in a profile published in June. "You just don't know what's going to happen moment to moment." Perry was portrayed as protective of the company in a 2003 Fortune Small Business story. He is quoted questioning the motives of a reporter in a piece about the religious beliefs of the company's founder. "What would you like to do? Are you going to continue on a religious kind of thing, or are you going to concentrate more on the Chick-fil-A business?"
He became an elder of his church in 1997, according to information posted on the website of Hillcrest Church of Christ. The church said Perry enjoyed "leading his church fellowship cell group, as well as working to help maintain harmony in the congregation."
"One of the challenges sometimes is helping to reconcile differing views among members," Perry said, according to the church, "but we work to keep unity of the faith."
He was preceded in death by his parents of Valdosta, Georgia; J.C."Buster"Perry in 2004 & Oma Williams Perry in 2000; 3 brothers, Roman, Robert, & Leonard Perry. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The University of Georgia Arch Foundation. Donald was married to Marilyn Baker Perry. To this union three sons were born: Brandon (Iris), Jason (Summer) & Donald "Kris;" & grandson, Jason Alexander. Among survivors are 4 sisters: LaVerne Shiver-Carter(Sully), Mary Nell Bryant(LaBarfield), Linda Denton(Lonnie), Velma Miles (John); 2 brothers: James Jr. & Bernard (Sheena).
Services were to be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Church of Christ where Donald served as an Elder. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting any donations in Donald's memory be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ Building Program (1939 Snapfinger Rd., Decatur, GA 30035).
Perry, 60, was V.P. for Public Relations at privately-held Chick-Fil-A headquartered in College Park, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Erica M. Martinez, a Chick-fil-A spokeswoman, confirmed the news Friday afternoon. "We are saddened to report the news to you that our dear friend Don Perry, vice president of public relations, passed away suddenly this morning," she said. "Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years." Martinez added: "For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him." WRBL News 3 in Georgia reported the cause of the death to be a heart attack.
"I came on board in 1983 to literally start the public relations function here, because the company was young, growing & emerging," Perry told Georgia Magazine. "The company was trying to move beyond just a small, regional family chain to become a national brand." Perry, a native of rural Valdosta was a 1974 graduate of the University of Georgia who joined Chick-fil-A in 1983 to launch the public relations department at the growing company."My expression routinely is 'there are no dull days,'" he told alumni publication Georgia Magazine in a profile published in June. "You just don't know what's going to happen moment to moment." Perry was portrayed as protective of the company in a 2003 Fortune Small Business story. He is quoted questioning the motives of a reporter in a piece about the religious beliefs of the company's founder. "What would you like to do? Are you going to continue on a religious kind of thing, or are you going to concentrate more on the Chick-fil-A business?"
He became an elder of his church in 1997, according to information posted on the website of Hillcrest Church of Christ. The church said Perry enjoyed "leading his church fellowship cell group, as well as working to help maintain harmony in the congregation."
"One of the challenges sometimes is helping to reconcile differing views among members," Perry said, according to the church, "but we work to keep unity of the faith."
He was preceded in death by his parents of Valdosta, Georgia; J.C."Buster"Perry in 2004 & Oma Williams Perry in 2000; 3 brothers, Roman, Robert, & Leonard Perry. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The University of Georgia Arch Foundation. Donald was married to Marilyn Baker Perry. To this union three sons were born: Brandon (Iris), Jason (Summer) & Donald "Kris;" & grandson, Jason Alexander. Among survivors are 4 sisters: LaVerne Shiver-Carter(Sully), Mary Nell Bryant(LaBarfield), Linda Denton(Lonnie), Velma Miles (John); 2 brothers: James Jr. & Bernard (Sheena).
Services were to be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Church of Christ where Donald served as an Elder. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting any donations in Donald's memory be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ Building Program (1939 Snapfinger Rd., Decatur, GA 30035).
"I came on board in 1983 to literally start the public relations function here, because the company was young, growing & emerging," Perry told Georgia Magazine. "The company was trying to move beyond just a small, regional family chain to become a national brand." Perry, a native of rural Valdosta was a 1974 graduate of the University of Georgia who joined Chick-fil-A in 1983 to launch the public relations department at the growing company."My expression routinely is 'there are no dull days,'" he told alumni publication Georgia Magazine in a profile published in June. "You just don't know what's going to happen moment to moment." Perry was portrayed as protective of the company in a 2003 Fortune Small Business story. He is quoted questioning the motives of a reporter in a piece about the religious beliefs of the company's founder. "What would you like to do? Are you going to continue on a religious kind of thing, or are you going to concentrate more on the Chick-fil-A business?"
He became an elder of his church in 1997, according to information posted on the website of Hillcrest Church of Christ. The church said Perry enjoyed "leading his church fellowship cell group, as well as working to help maintain harmony in the congregation."
"One of the challenges sometimes is helping to reconcile differing views among members," Perry said, according to the church, "but we work to keep unity of the faith."
He was preceded in death by his parents of Valdosta, Georgia; J.C."Buster"Perry in 2004 & Oma Williams Perry in 2000; 3 brothers, Roman, Robert, & Leonard Perry. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The University of Georgia Arch Foundation. Donald was married to Marilyn Baker Perry. To this union three sons were born: Brandon (Iris), Jason (Summer) & Donald "Kris;" & grandson, Jason Alexander. Among survivors are 4 sisters: LaVerne Shiver-Carter(Sully), Mary Nell Bryant(LaBarfield), Linda Denton(Lonnie), Velma Miles (John); 2 brothers: James Jr. & Bernard (Sheena).
Services were to be held on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Church of Christ where Donald served as an Elder. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting any donations in Donald's memory be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ Building Program (1939 Snapfinger Rd., Decatur, GA 30035).
