Funeral services for Elizabeth Perigo Cantrell, 99, of Purcell were held Saturday, June 17, 2023 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Purcell. Interment was at Hillside Cemetery in Purcell under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.
Mrs. Cantrell passed away Thursday June 15, 2023 surrounded by her family.
She was born September 15, 1923 in Paris Texas. She was the eighth of 11 children born to William and Elizabeth Beaver. Her family farmed southwest of Wayne, Okla.
When Elizabeth was 12 years of age, the family moved to Dallas, Texas. There she attended Wilmer Hutchins High School, where she met a young man named Alvie William Perigo. They were married May 30, 1938 in Pauls Valley, Okla. They had four children, Bobby, Carol, Nancy and Sherri, who were all born in Dallas, Texas.
Elizabeth and Alvie “Bud” both worked in the garment industry. They decided one day, that they would try the manufacturing aspect of the business themselves. So, in 1961 the company was founded and named Sherri Classics Inc. The street where the factory was located still has the name “Sherri Classics Blvd.” They hired a young designer JoAnn Weigel, who had just graduated from the Women’s University in Denton, Texas. She was the only designer at this time. Later, they found one of their employees had designing skills. She was Virginia Millsap Schell.
Samples were made and taken to Dallas, Texas, where the buying offices were located for Sears and JC Penney Company. They sold lots of different styles and they were shipped to all of the Penney’s stores in the United States. They traveled to New York, South and North Carolina to purchase fabrics.
Alvie “Bud” Perigo passed October 28, 1971 after a short illness. Elizabeth and her children with their spouses continued the family business until 1973 when she retired. She was named Businesswoman of the Year in 1972 by the Purcell Chamber of Commerce. They were long-time members of Trinity United Methodist Church in Purcell, Okla.
Elizabeth met Bill Cantrell of Ft. Worth, Texas, and they were married August 24, 1973. Bill owned Jetco Inc. in the sales of aircraft parts and accessories. They traveled to the Embassies on the West Coast and Washington, DC. They went to the World Aero Space Fair in Germany and also visited eight countries while in Europe. Bill sold his business in 1978. They bought a motor home and lived in South Texas for the winter. They pulled a boat because Bill was a fisherman and loved to fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Bill passed March 1, 2007. Elizabeth sold her home and moved into Westbrook Gardens in 2017. Elizabeth will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Alvie “Bud” Perigo and Bill Cantrell; brothers, Clifford, Milton, David, Otis and Arnold Beaver; sisters, Anna Walker, Marie Ritter, Ruth O’Hagan, Virginia Conner and Dorothy Knotts; son, Bobby Perigo; daughter, Carol Stapp; grandson, Michael Stapp and granddaughter, Cyndi Buterbaugh.
She is survived by her two daughters, Nancy Richardson and husband, Dale, of Purcell and Sherri Sikes and husband, Connie “Bub”, of Purcell; son-in-law, Lester Stapp; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonlittle.com.
