Southaven unveiled a plaque in the Tribute Hall honoring Judge Bob Perry, the city said in a post on the mayor’s blog. The post said Perry served as Southaven’s primary municipal court judge for 22 years, from Dec. 4, 1990, until July 2, 2013.
The blog said family, friends and colleagues attended the unveiling and shared stories about Perry’s time on the bench. The post said attendees described him as “tough but fair” and “firm but kind,” and noted that his niece, Jackie Collinsworth, was among those present.
According to the blog post, Perry served in the U.S. Air Force, graduated from Memphis State University and the University of Mississippi School of Law, began practicing law in 1964 and moved his firm to Southaven in 1967. The city’s post said he served DeSoto and Tate counties in the Mississippi Senate from 1964 to 1976, was elected president pro tempore by fellow senators and served briefly as acting governor, and later was chief of staff to Gov. Cliff Finch from 1976 to 1980.
The mayor’s blog said Perry’s family owned a farm on the west side of Highway 51 near Rasco Road as far back as the 1940s and that his father had one of the first telephones in DeSoto County. The post said Perry was active in the United Methodist Church as a lay speaker and organist and volunteered in community events, including serving as a judge in the Southaven Springfest barbecue competition.
The city’s post concluded by thanking Perry for his service and saying his influence on the community will not be forgotten, the mayor’s blog said.
