Lorraine Perry

Lorraine was truly a daughter of Santa Barbara.  On her maternal side she is a direct descendent of several early Californio families, including Cota, Dominquez, and Sanchez . These families were from the Spanish Army soldiers who founded the Presidio of Santa Barbara in 1782. Her maternal grandfather was Daniel Martin the first Santa Barbara Chief of Police in 1900.

Lorraine just had her 100th birthday and had the good fortune of spending her entire life in Santa Barbara. She attended local schools: Wilson Elementary, La Cumbra Junior High, Santa Barbara High School and Santa Barbara State College.

Growing up in the 1920s and 1930s was a very different Santa Barbara. There were small closely knit neighborhoods: La Mesa, San Roque, Samarkand and the Riviera had not yet been developed. Life was simpler and she was able to develop numerous friendships that lasted for her lifetime.

After her school years she went to work for General Telephone, and eventually 35 years running the switchboard for Saint Francis Hospital. They had to close the facility for her to retire. The primary social life of the time consisted of community dances. She shared stories about going to Lompoc and Santa Ynez for barn dances.  Also shared memories of dances in Santa Barbara too. In 1943 at a USO dance at the Veteran’s Memorial Center on Cabrillo Boulevard she met the love of her life, William Perry. He was a member of the Army Air Corps preparing to ship off to Iwo Jima. Where he spent the remainder of the war. Upon his return in 1946 they were married and started a family and settled into Santa Barbara life.

As previously noted, Lorraine’s Santa Barbara/California heritage ran deep. Both her parents were also born in California before the turn of the last century. She is preceded in death by her father, Arthur Bernard de Rutte, her mother Dora Martin de Rutte, and her son, Michael William Perry. She will be missed by family members including: daughter Suzanne Beck of Grass Valley (Edward), son Roger Perry of Santa Barbara, grandchildren: William Hagel (Alice), Benjamin Hagel (Savannah), Theresa Jeanne Perry – Douglas( Nathan), Brian Mitchell Perry and seven great grandchildren.

Service will be held at 10:00 AM, January 14, 2022 at Holy Cross Church, 1740 Cliff Drive, followed by graveside service at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Lorraine’s memory to Holy Cross Catholic Church or The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.