September 21, 1948 – May 31, 2025
Richard was predeceased by his parents Ron and Estelle Perry. He is survived by the mother of his children, Verna, his two children Jordan (Alicia) Janna (Alex) grandson Charlie, brother James (Meredith) two nieces and two nephews.
Richard was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba where boyhood on the prairies gave him freedom he loved to roam around the surrounding countryside on his bicycle, and still be home by dark.
In Richard’s early teens his brother, James, was born and in his older teens his family made a big move to the big city of Toronto. Uprooting was not easy for him in his last year of high school.
Attracted by the world of film, he abandoned his English major to attend York University Film School. However, as a young man, the prairies called to him and he decided to move to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. There Richard met Verna, who became his wife and he soon discovered the joys and challenges of fatherhood. He enjoyed playing with his young children and as they grew, seeing them pursuing their own interests. He was very proud of his daughter and his son and their accomplishments.
He had a great desire to live as independently as possible and in the country as much as possible. In order to do this he pursued and enjoyed learning, mostly on his own, skills such as mechanics, carpentry, and other handyman skills. He took pride in maintaining his own vehicles and homes, including renovating several houses he lived in with his family.
He enjoyed many various careers such as a semi-truck driver, letter carrier for Canada Post, farmer, mechanic and restorer of trusty old Volvos, as well as work in the Saskatchewan and Manitoba Film Industries.
For a couple decades he passionately kept many appreciative friends, family and acquaintances reliably and inexpensively on the road. He enjoyed meeting and getting to know a variety of people, and they got to know him not only as a very unique mechanic, eventually called “The Volvo Guru”, but also as the intellectual person and hilarious orator he was.
In his 50’s Richard sought opportunity to enthusiastically work on many films made in Saskatchewan, mostly as a car wrangler. It was a great loss to him when the Saskatchewan Film Industry could no longer survive. He, then, looked at returning to his home province, with hopes of pursuing his passionate film work there. His marriage ended and he moved to the small resort town of Gimli, Manitoba. He did some film work there, including a few small acting roles, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Richard enjoyed retirement and small town living, finding satisfaction in completely renovating a small cabin to his own personal taste, having a large garage built, tinkering with old Volvos, tending his yard and walking by Lake Winnipeg. He was very happy when his children, their partners and his little grandson visited.
After one and a half years of being very unwell with cancer, Richard passed away in the Gimli Hospital on May 31, 2025. May he rest in peace.
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Richard’s memorial page using the comment field below.
To Richard’s family;
I met Richard after he moved to Gimli, but we had corresponded quite a bit prior to that when he was thinking of selling his 445. He changed his mind and I bought a very rusty 123GT instead, which is still a work in progress. After Richard arrived in Gimli I would drive out and we would have lunch and he would tell me Volvo stories. I last saw Richard the last week in May before we left on a trip. He was somewhat confused but in good spirits and he reminded me that he had attended York University, where he had acquired his “thin veneer of sophistication”!
Your dad was a cool guy. I expect that he is now in heaven, involved in rally races and driving PVs “balls to the wall”! RIP Richard, and my sincerest condolences to family.
I worked with Richard on a few film projects over my 5 years in the industry he taught me everything( being a green horn ) about being on a film set.
He was a really good person and I enjoyed being in his presence and especially the stories that he shared.
He will be missed and I will cherish the memories that I take with me for the rest of my life.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends that had the privilege of knowing him.
I met Richard only recently, when he decided to sell the Volvo 445, affectionately known as the Pickle. I went out to have a look at the car and had a brief look but stayed for a few hours conversation. Richard seemed to be like that, able to make time disappear with stories of his past, his passion for Volvos and his views on how the world works. I spoke with him on the phone a few times but the in person experience made it worth the drive out to visit. Ultimately I purchased a spare engine and the Pickle because his enthusiasm and energy became part of the project itself. Condolences to his family and friends.
I first met Richard Perry when I worked as a photography instructor at Camp White Pine in Ontario. Richard moved to Saskatchewan when he was in his thirties. A multi talented fellow and also a fan of older Volvos he was one of the brightest and kindest people I knew. On one of my visits to Saskatoon he was away working on a harvest in southern Saskatchewan, and invited me to work with him. That wheat harvest was magical for the Ontario fellow that I am. Subsequently I met his ex, Verna and their two children when they visited Toronto when he was a family man and the grower with Verna of organic garlic outside of Saskatoon. I renewed our life long friendship several years ago, mostly via phone calls when he moved back to Manitoba. One of my regrets was that we had planned a road trip together which never happened. He spoke highly of his children and I thank Verna for writing me in February 2026 of Richard’s passing away. May he now rest in peace. I, for one, will miss Richard Perry greatly.