Perry Colin Anton - proud father, avid cyclist, expert morel hunter, metal-detecting aficionado, cheese enthusiast, and fly fisherman - died on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Perry was good at everything he did. Truly. From an early age, he showed a remarkable ability to perfect just about anything. His father, George and late mother, Mary, first noticed this on a family trip to Egypt in the mid-1970s when Perry took his 4 year old little sister, Nicole, up to the roof of a Cairo hotel to demonstrate his perfected technique for dropping rolls of toilet paper down the side of a multistory building without tearing the sheet. He had calculated exactly how long each roll would last and at which floor it would end. His parents believed this was the moment his love of math, and later, computer coding, really took hold. Nicole is still trying to figure out how he got them up to the rooftop unnoticed and unscathed.

It’s no surprise that as a young adult, Perry excelled in his studies, including the study of mischief. This particular talent eventually landed him at Northwestern Military Academy for high school. The required uniform did wonders for his questionable fashion sense and, to his delight, made him a hit with the ladies. He took full advantage, perfecting his well known charm. After military school, he attended college in Chicago and later joined the family accounting business, where he modernized systems and built a foundation in coding that would propel him to Seattle and, ultimately, to Microsoft. While in Seattle, Perry found a love for fly fishing and his future wife, the kind, energetic, bright-smiled Julie.

After years of long hours, Perry realized he could work less and earn more as a consultant. So he did what any reasonable person would do: he quit. Consulting allowed him to reclaim time to perfect his existing hobbies and explore the world with curiosity.

His son, Taylor, was the love of his life: his pride, his joy, his everything. Perry loved that boy with every cell in his body, and it showed. Phone calls to his family always began with an update on Taylor’s latest achievements, insights, or athletic feats. Perry also delighted in the frequent “Your son is so adorable” compliments, knowing full well how much Taylor resembled him as a kid. Following his divorce, Perry shared 50% custody with Julie, and he was always eager for the days Taylor returned to him.

Perry never failed to make those close to him laugh with his goofy spin on life. Well into his fifties, he still believed wholeheartedly in the classic “pull my finger” gag, and somehow many of us still fell for it. He was also a notorious ham for the camera. If anyone can locate a serious photograph of Perry, please send it to his family; they remain unconvinced one exists.

A devoted manual transmission purist, Perry loved to drive fast, which resulted in more than a little tailgating. Miraculously, he managed to avoid speeding tickets and fender-benders and always arrived safely. Those who rode with him often described the experience as “terrifying,” but undeniably memorable. On a recent family trip to Greece, Nicole was convinced Perry was driving his own version of F1. The trip concluded with a “lap” along the winding roads of northern Crete, while George and Nicole gripped the handholds, and each other, in the back seat, Taylor amazed in the passenger seat, all the while Perry giggled.

And that was our Perry: intense, brilliant, mischievous, charming, goofy, and entirely himself. Our hearts are forever broken. We miss him deeply.