Lloyd Perry passed on March 21, at 91. A lifelong teacher, thinker, learner, adventurer, and entrepreneur, he influenced countless lives. Saying he “never met a stranger,” he and a new acquaintance typically would be friends two sentences into their introduction.

Lloyd was born in the tiny town of Berenice, Idaho. When he was ten the family moved to Waverly, Kansas where Lloyd finished high school in 1949.

Lloyd met Barbara Leker while both were in college at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas, on a blind date. The moment he met “Barbie,” he knew they would be married. They were, on August 25, 1951, in Barbara’s hometown of Irwin, Missouri. During Army service at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington, Lloyd found the Pacific Northwest appealed to his love of the outdoors and he and Barbara decided to settle here. They started their teaching careers in eastern Washington, where Lloyd became the high school principal, mathematics teacher, and sports coach all at the same time. In the early 60’s he commuted from Creston to Washington State University to complete his master’s in Education.

In 1964 Lloyd’s entrepreneurial streak first surfaced when he purchased half of Catlin’s Camera in Missoula, Montana. In 1966 offers from the Seattle School District for both Lloyd and Barbara brought them back to western Washington.

Lloyd taught mathematics at Seattle’s Meany Middle School, and Garfield, Queen Anne, and Roosevelt High Schools over a 25-year career. His students respected and liked him; it was common during trips around town for a former student to shout out “Hi, Mr. Perry!” to the wonder of whichever child was with him at the time. Throughout his career he lobbied extensively to improve teacher pay and equity. Lloyd was very active in his children’s lives as they grew through music, scouting, sports and school activities, and the family also traveled extensively throughout the western and central United States in a succession of station wagons, travel trailers and motor homes to visit family. They provided Marilyn, Karl, and Susan a rich and rewarding childhood.

In 1973 Lloyd’s entrepreneur spirit struck again when he formed Perry-Scott Products with fellow teacher and inventor Clyde Scott to manufacture the first plastic bicycle carrier, the Companier. With Lloyd’s executive and Clyde’s engineering skills, eventually the venture expanded to motorcycle panniers and travel trunks, and finally to their flagship product, the ElectraStart. To expand the business nationwide, Lloyd retired from teaching in 1982. When Barbara retired in 1987 they traveled the United States from ground level in their motor home while continuing to build the business.

Lloyd and Barbara explored Puget Sound, the Salish Sea, and Vancouver Island in their sailboat Picanté. After fully retiring they were snowbirds, splitting time between homes in western Washington and Green Valley, Arizona. They traveled in Europe, China, and Australia, fulfilling lifelong dreams of seeing the world. Eventually they returned to the Seattle area to be closer to immediate family, finally settling in the Fairfield area of Renton.

Lloyd’s legacies are intense curiosity, the love of learning, and a spirit of exploration.

Lloyd was preceded in death by his older brother Charles (“Ralph”), brother Kenneth (“Ken”), and sister Lorna. He is survived by his wife Barbara; their children Karl, Marilyn, and Susan; siblings George, Lynn, Dale, and Carolyn; six grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.

Lloyd asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to efforts to cure Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.