Obituary of Wayne Keith Perine

Wayne Keith Perine, 87, passed away on September 4, 2017.

Wayne was born on February 12, 1930 in Harmony, Pennsylvania.  His family affectionately nicknamed him ‘Red’ for his red hair which he passed on to his grandson, Darby.  He graduated from Zelienople High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track.  He served for four years in the Air Force during the Korean War and spent most of that time stationed in Alaska.  

He married his beloved wife, Delores, in 1958 and they moved to Sterling, VA in 1963, where they were one of the first 100 families in Sterling Park.  He adored his family and was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who was immensely proud of his daughters and grandsons.  He enjoyed traveling and was proud of his ability to take his wife and daughters on wonderful family trips in the states, the Caribbean, and Europe.  

Wayne spend 35 years as a mechanic with Delta Airlines and retired at the age of 58.  However, curious and industrious by nature, Wayne was not content to sit and enjoy retirement.  He felt that he should continue to work until he was at least 80 years old, so he spent an additional 22 years working at Horn Motors.  

His family nicknamed him Popeye because of his strength and fortitude; traits that he continued to display all through his life.   He was always working on a project and together with his wife, who did the gardening, he turned his backyard in Sterling Park into a true sanctuary for birds and various flora and fauna.  As much as he loved working around the house, his true passion was his 1963 Corvette that he spent 30 years restoring from parts.  He was an active member of the Corvette Club of America and spent many a Friday night at the Chik-fil-A ‘Drive-In’ in Sterling talking with other classic car owners and sharing information about his.  Folks there enjoyed seeing him each week.  

He was predeceased by his parents, Richard (Rex) Perine and Sara Such and two brothers Richard Perine and Harry Such. He will be truly missed by his friends and most especially by his family which include his wife, Delores Perine, his two daughters, Kim (Brad) Waldron and Leanne Kidwell, his two grandsons, Alex Gruening of Fort Campbell, and Darby Kidwell of Fairfax, and his two great-grandsons Zachary and Joshua Gruening, his sister, Evelyn May Madden of Hagerstown, MD and his many friends who will always be touched by his ability to believe the best in everyone, all of whom will be cheering  Wayne’s beloved Nats to a championship win this year in his memory.  

Wayne’s life will be celebrated during a funeral service at 12:00 PM on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at Sterling United Methodist Church with a private burial to follow.   The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Friday, September 8, 2017 at Adams-Green Funeral Home.