By Emme Hornung
When Len Perry decided to learn to fly at 35 years old, his wife, Helena, figured it was a midlife crisis. But it was never a phase for Len; his infatuation with things that fly started when he was a kid. Growing up in Cincinnati, he’d ride his bike down to the Ohio River, pay 10 cents for a ferry ride across, and make his way to the airport to watch takeoffs and landings. And when he learned to fly, aviation became a way of life not just for him, but for his entire family.
Melissa Perry, EAA 1061919, Len’s daughter, recalls a childhood surrounded by airplanes and the aviation community at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio. “I don’t remember anything before my dad got into aviation. Really, the first memories I have are being in an airplane with him,” she said. “I understand from other people that it’s not a normal childhood to do your homework in the back seat of a 172. But hey, it worked for me.”
Len and the family went on many adventures together (if you run into them in Camp Scholler, ask to hear a story!), spreading the aviation fever to his wife and kids. Helena herself even learned to fly, and Melissa started flight training before she learned how to drive. Now, the aviation fever has spread to the third generation with grandson Liam Farnsworth, who hopes to start flight training after he graduates from high school next year.
Aviation also added a new side of the family for the Perrys. “That’s the really neat thing about pilots is it’s just like an extended family. That’s how the flying community is,” Helena said. “We were coming up here to Oshkosh, and Melissa tells me, ‘Mom, you’re going to go meet thousands of new friends.’”
Sadly, Len passed away four weeks ago today; it would have been his 79th birthday today.
“My dad, he never got to go to Oshkosh. We had this whole grand trip planned in 2020, and that darn COVID canceled our air show,” Melissa said. “It was such a love of his that he shared with our entire family, and we haven’t been the same since falling in love with aviation. I just wanted to bring my dad here so he can be a part of Oshkosh.”
The Perrys brought with them some of Len’s cremains so he could experience this aviation family reunion in spirit. “And with my mom’s favorite, the Snowbirds, being here on Saturday, I told her, ‘What a better way to celebrate his birthday than you watching the planes you love the most?’” Melissa said. “And as my mom said, we’ll be watching from the ground, and my dad is watching from above.”
Happy birthday, Len, and welcome to Oshkosh.