Francis R. Perri

Age 88, of Mt. Lebanon, passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2015, after a long battle with prostate cancer. The oldest of 3 children, Francis Regis Perri was born on April 7, 1926 into the Italian-Irish Catholic family of Dr. Ernest and Stella (Gallagher) Perri in Monaca, PA. Francis was united in marriage to Prudence Louise Boutin in 1954 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He is survived by his loving wife, Prudence and 12 children: daughters Kathy (John) Dobson of Chadds Ford, PA; Mary Anne Perri of Pittsburgh, PA; and sons Daniel (Eleanor) Perri of DuBois, PA; Brian (Elizabetta) Perri of Los Angeles, CA; and Thomas (Arlene) Perri, Jeffrey (Lynne) Perri, Theodore Perri, William (Elizabeth) Perri, Christopher (Lisa) Perri, James Perri, and Gregory (Emily) Perri of Pittsburgh, PA; and the late Robert Perri.
Grandpa "papa" was loved and will be missed by his 24 grandchildren: Gregory, Nicolas, Amanda, Jacob, Isaiah, Danielle, Zachary, Mary Anne, Julie, Claire, Kristin, Nicole, Abigail, Hailee, Francis, Guilliana, Thomas, Sean, Brian, Katie, Megan, Kiera, Lillian, and Nia; and 2 great grandchildren: Adelina and Orlando.

Francis was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings Ernest and Richard.

After graduating with honors from St. Vincent Prep School in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Francis elisted at the age of 17 and proudly served in the US Navy as a radio operator at a naval air station in North Africa during World War II. He returned to St. Vincent College to finish his college degree and graduated with honors from the School of Sciences. He was also an outstanding athlete in baseball, basketball and football, serving as captain of both the basketball and football teams.

He attended Georgetown Medical School and again graduated with honors in 1954, achieving one of the highest scores in the nation on the National Medical Board examination. He trained in general surgery as a resident at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh from 1954-1958, followed by a fellowship in cancer surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City in 1960. When he returned to Pittsburgh in 1960 he joined Dr. Leo O'Donnell in general surgery practice at Mercy Hospital and St. Clair Hospital. He served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Mercy Hospital and St. Clair Hospital in the 1960's and 70's, and started the first intensive care unit in Pittsburgh at Mercy Hospital in the early 1960's. He trained two generations of surgeons at Mercy Hospital and treated tens of thousands of patients over a career that spanned 40 years.

Francis retired in 1999 and spent the last 15 years with the things which were most important to him; his family, faith, friends and fly fishing. Despite the many accomplishments during his lifetime, he was a very humble and soft spoken man who never talked about himself. He preferred to focus on his family, friends, patients, and the surgical residents who he trained. His legacy in medicine will continue with six children practicing in the fields of surgery and nursing. Francis' kindness, generosity, tireless work ethic, surgical excellence, devotion to his family and love for his wife will be remembered forever. Friends welcome Sunday 1-4, 6-9pm, Freyvogel-Slater Funeral Directors (412-835-1860) 112 Fort Couch Rd, Bethel Park (Opposite Macy's South Hills Village). Mass of Christian Burial Monday 10:00a.m. in St. Thomas More Church. In lieu of flowers donations suggested in memory of Dr. Perri to St. Vincent College, Health Science Endowment Fund, 300 Fraser Purchase Rd, Latrobe, PA, 15650.