Perlon Ray Roark

Perlon Ray Roark, 95, passed away on October 18, 2015 at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas. He was born in Alto, Texas on March 21, 1920, the son of Walter James Roark and Annie Pearl Austin Roark. Perlon was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtle Esta Hollis Roark, in 1979, son, Kenneth Roark, brothers, Charles and Rudolph Roark and sisters, Laureta DeRemer and Mozelle Darby. Perlon grew up on a farm in Alto and graduated from Alto High School before studying electronics in Chicago. He married Myrtle Esta Hollis in 1940. The following year Perlon enlisted in the United States Army and served in Europe during World War II. After the war ended Perlon applied his skills as an electronic technician in a variety of radio and later television shops before opening his own repair business, Roark Radio and Television, on University Avenue in Huntsville. A Renaissance man, Perlon was a landscape artist who produced over 450 paintings that represented the places he had been, as well as so many scenes he imagined. He was a musician who played his favorite gospel and easy listening music on any instrument that was placed in his hands, though he’d never learned to read a single note. He enjoyed listening to music from almost any genre. An avid gardener during most of his life, Perlon prized his beautiful roses and other flowers and produced an abundance of vegetables for his family and friends. Perlon became a skilled photographer and built a dark room where he processed his own work. He built beautiful cabinets, other woodwork and repaired all things mechanical, electrical and beyond. Perlon invented and built whatever was not readily available to him to fit any purpose or meet any need that presented itself. He loved to travel, and it seemed the destination did not matter as much as the journey. Perlon served on the board of the Houston County Electric Cooperative while he lived in Crockett, Texas. During most of the 60 or so years that he was a resident of Huntsville, Perlon was a member of the First Assembly of God Church. Perlon and Myrtle Esta reared their five children in Huntsville, Texas. For the past five years Perlon was a part of the community at Carriage Inn of Huntsville, where he was loved and appreciated. Beloved Daddy, Papaw, Uncle, cousin and friend, Perlon Roark daily acknowledged the many blessings and loved ones in his life. He often said that he could not wait to get out of bed at sunrise wondering what amazing things would happen that day. He felt blessed among men by the large loving family that surrounded him and honored him regularly in so many ways. Perlon is survived by his son, Danny Roark, and daughter, Toni Roark Bobruk, of Huntsville, TX, daughter, Kathy Roark Laughlin, and husband, Mark, of Anderson, TX, daughter, Linda Roark Webster, and husband, David of Spring, TX; grandchildren, John Roark, Marcus Roark, Jason Bobruk, Branden Roark, Kevin Cobb, Micah Roark, Travis Cobb, Erin Bobruk Foltz, Clint Byrd, Leslie Cobb Sechelski, Chad Byrd, Aimee Bobruk, Jared Roark, Haylan Roark Teel, Shannon Haynie Ward and Cameron Roark; 18 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Saturday, October 24th, 2015, services for Perlon Roark will be held at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home (1700 Normal Park, Huntsville, Texas 77340). Mr. Roark will lie in state 9:00am to 3:00pm with the family receiving friends from 11:00am to 12:00noon. The funeral service is at 3:00pm Saturday with burial to follow including full military honors at Oakwood Cemetery Adickes Addition (corner of 9th and MLK Blvd., Huntsville, Texas). Pallbearers include Mr. Roark’s grandsons. Condolences, memories and messages may be left at www.shmfh.com.

Perlon Ray Roark

March 21, 1920 - October 18, 2015