Mr. Perry Wade Bilyeu's Obituary
Perry Wade Bilyeu January 23, 1937 - June 15, 2013 Perry W. Bilyeu, 76 of Marco Island, Florida died June 15, 2013 in Houston, Texas, following his battle with lung cancer. Perry was born January 23, 1937, in Wolf Point Montana, to Everl (Bud) Bilyeu and Edna Lundgren. One of four children, he grew up in Wolf Point, Montana and graduated from Montana School of Mines (now Montana Tech) in 1961. Perry worked as a Geophysicist in Dallas, Midland, Houston and Wichita Falls, Texas; Denver, Colorado and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Perry also worked in Anchorage, Alaska and on the North Slope. He enjoyed traveling on business to faraway places such as Africa and Yugoslavia. In his oil and gas days, Perry worked for GSI (Geophysical Seismic Inc.), Digicon, Union 76 (Unocal) and Buttes Oil and Gas. Perry was a successful business man forming Bilyeu and Brown, Inc. in Houston, Texas in the 1970's with business partner, Sam Brown and then later forming Decade Exploration in Houston Texas in the early 1980's with his Vice President, Ronald E. Manz buy his side. In the late 1980's Perry would relocate his business to Wichita Falls, Texas. In 1999, Perry semi-retired to Ranchos De Taos, New Mexico. In 2005, Perry moving to Palisade, Colorado where he purchased a small Cherry Orchard and then met, lived and enjoyed life with Amaryllis (Ellie) Selk. When it wasn't cherry season Perry enjoyed traveling to see family and friends and getting to see other parts of the United States and even traveled to the Philippines to meet Ellie's family. Perry was an avid traveler who also enjoying hiking, fishing and other outdoor activities. He was a fierce Racquetball enthusiast who was so competitive he even broke a good friend's son's arm while playing a "friendly" game. Perry always took amazing pictures of his journeys with some of the most spectacular coming from the North Slope of Alaska where most of us could never venture to. Perry was a very talented wood worker, making lots of his own furniture. He dabbled in designing homes and tree houses. Perry hiked the Grand Canyon and parts of New Mexico and Colorado many times with his good friends Ben Carp, Steve Briggs and his dog, Chief. Perry also hiked breath taking places with his hiking buddies across England, Switzerland and Italy. Perry was a huge "Bill O'Reilly" and "Rush Limbaugh" follower and only watched TV programs on Fox News. In 2012, Perry finally retiring with the love of his life, Ellie, to Marco Island, Florida. Perry greatly appreciated his last months' time with family and friends, sharing great memories from the past, playing card games, laughing and having fun with his grand children who doted on him. Always thinking of others Perry's last act of kindness was to donate to "Independence Fund" to help provide wounded veteran's with state of the art wheelchairs so they too could see the world. Perry is survived by his twin sister Polly Jenson and brothers Bradley Bilyeu and Bruce Bilyeu; his children, son Tom (Tammy) Olson of Bozeman Montana, daughter Helen Bilyeu of Pearland, Texas, daughter Cindy Bilyeu of Pearland, Texas, son Jean Pierre Bilyeu of Houston, Texas and son Ryan (Leoni) Bilyeu of Albuquerque, New Mexico; grandchildren Sarah Manz, Alex Manz, Jessica Hoovler, Nicholas Hoovler and Kenzie Bilyeu. Perry was preceded in death by his parents and son, Arlon Bilyeu. Memorials may be made to: The Independence Fund, 290 Callaway Ave, Pensacola, FL 32505, http://www.independencefund.org., The Heritage Foundation , http://www.heritage.org or The Salvation Army, http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.
What’s your fondest memory of Perry?
What’s a lesson you learned from Perry?
Share a story where Perry's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Perry you’ll never forget.
How did Perry make you smile?