Obituary: Scott Dean Perry, 64, Hood River

Scott Dean Perry, of Hood River, Oregon, passed away on August 31, 2026, at the age of 64. Born on December 22, 1961, in Des Moines, Iowa, Scott was raised by his grandparents, Dean and Virginia Niffenegger, in the farming community of Whiting, Iowa. He spent much of his boyhood there at his grandfather's side on the family farm.

He graduated from Whiting High School and went on to Creighton University to study pharmacy, earning his Bachelor of Science degree there. It was in Omaha, Nebraska, that he met Theresa Cox, the love of his life, whom he married in 1987. They settled in Omaha for six years before their shared love of windsurfing brought them to Hood River, Oregon, in 1993. They have made Hood River their home ever since, enjoying the trails, rivers, and skies with their golden retrievers by their side.

It was outside Omaha in the late 1980s, watching F-16s over Offutt Air Force Base, where Scott’s love of flying began. He started as a student pilot there, and went on to become an instrument-rated commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. In Hood River, he taught ground school at Ken Jernstadt Airfield, and a remarkable number of his students went on to become professional pilots, flying military, commercial, and backcountry aircraft. He also instructed backcountry pilots through TacAero and served on the Port of Hood River Advisory Committee.

Flying was simply part of who Scott was. He piloted his Bonanza and his Super Cub across the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas, though some of his favorite trips were to the Deschutes River and John Day River, where he would land to fish, raft, and camp. Fly fishing, mountain biking, windsurfing, and motorcycles filled much of his time, along with driving with the local sports car group. And he almost always had a golden retriever at his side—five of them over the course of 40 years—whom he walked every day along the waterfront park and Indian Creek trail.

Those who knew Scott remember a man of rare, uncomplicated contentment. He knew exactly what he loved — flying, fishing, mountain biking, his golden retrievers, and Theresa — and was devoted to each. He was kind in the unhurried, practical way of someone who simply enjoyed life and enjoyed helping others. He lived every day true to what he believed in, and he was as generous with his knowledge as he was with his friendship. He will be missed immensely.

Scott is survived by his wife, Theresa Perry, of Hood River, Oregon; his sister, Laura (Michael) Frazer of Chicago, Illinois, and their adult children Mallory (Pete) Sabo, Gage Frazer, and Annabelle Frazer; and his sister Kimberly (Steven) Genovese of Valparaiso, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Perry and Sara “Sally” Haines. A celebration of Scott's life will be held Saturday, September 26, at 1:00 p.m., at Ken Jernstedt Airfield in Hood River.

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