Steny Hoyer joins many across Maryland and beyond mourning the loss of Robert X Perry Jr.

Robert X Perry Jr. (Bob), born January 14th, 1932, passed away peacefully in his sleep on the 3rd of January 2023 at his home in Crofton, a few days shy of his 91st birthday. His wife of 62 years, Marsha Gratz Perry, former State Legislator (District 33) was at his side.

He is survived by his wife and three children: son, Robert X Perry III and his wife, Giselle of Manhattan Beach, California; daughter, Margarett Dykstra and her husband, Brian, of New York City; son, David Perry of Shoreham Beach Md and two grandchildren, Lila Perry of Driggs, Idaho, and Lucas Perry of San Francisco California.

United States Congressman, Steny Hoyer, said of Bob: "I join many across Maryland in mourning the loss of my friend Robert Perry – a distinguished attorney, loving father, and devoted husband. Married to former Maryland State Delegate Marsha Perry, he shared his wife's passion for activism and conservation. He helped encourage her to enter Maryland politics and worked with her to build a better future for our state. I have been so fortunate to have his family's friendship these many years, and I, like so many others, am grateful for all their contributions to our community. Robert was a good and gracious man who made his community and country better, and we will miss him dearly."

Bob was raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, a son of Mary Halliden and Robert X Perry Sr. He was a proud graduate of the College of the Holy Cross class of 1954. Bob and Marsha’s three children are also graduates of Holy Cross. Bob subsequently received his LLB from Georgetown University and his LLM from Harvard University.

Bob began an illustrious public sector career in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York City. He was the Chief Prosecuting Assistant District Attorney, in the Fraud Division, and later Chief of the Homicide Division both while serving under Frank Hogan, Manhattan District Attorney. In 1962, US Attorney General, Robert Kennedy, appointed Bob an Assistant United States Attorney for Washington DC. Bob later served as Chief of Staff for Senator Thomas J Dodd, Connecticut.

In the private sector, Bob served as a partner at several Washington DC law firms: Corcoran, Foley, Youngman & Roe, Groom & Nordberg and Wilkes, Artis, Hedrick & Lane. In addition to several Watergate clients, Bob’s career highlights include representing such diverse clients as: Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, outside counsel to several US Senate committee investigations such as the Wayne Hayes investigation during the Elizabeth Ray scandal, MIT inventor Larry Nichols, who held a patent for the puzzle later marketed as Rubik's Cube, and the government of Peru when in 1987 they successfully sued the Hunt Brothers over the cornering of the international silver market.

Aside from his professional achievements, Bob was a 6-time national champion of the Mobjack international sailing class and has spent the past 25 years sailing his 48-foot catch, Crusader, from Maine to the Caribbean Islands where he and Marsha made a second home in St. Lucia.

The late Robert X Perry Jr., and his family has continued a lasting relationship and connection to the late bell ringer of the Lexington Market, who was honored on January 31st with his great-grandson ringing the bell to commemorate the reopening of the renovated Lexington Market.

“Mr. Perry was an unsung hero in the community," said Jayson Williams, great grandson of the famed Lexington Market bell ringer and local Baltimore developer. “When my family almost fell short of being able to pay for my great grandfather’s funeral he stepped up because of his love for our family and respect for my great grandfather”.

The family welcomes memorial contributions to be made to the Backpack Meals Program with donations being made through the Community United Methodist Church. Bob loved the work of the Backpack Meals program run by long-time family friend, Margaret Galasso, providing non-perishable food to 70+ students from local elementary schools—Nantucket, Crofton, Crofton Meadows and Crofton Woods. The meals are delivered to the schools every Friday and supplement the students’ weekend meals at home. Checks should be made payable to: Community UMC with Note: Backpack Meals in honor of Robert X Perry, Jr or online at https://onrealm.org/cumccrofton/-/form/give/bpm. Address: Community United Methodist Church, 1690 Riedel Road, Crofton, Md 21114. Phone: 410-721-9129