Wanda Perry

Wanda Linam Perry, a dedicated genealogist and collector of Southwestern history, died in Tucson Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. She was 91.

She was born in Tucson on Aug. 7, 1931, the daughter of Ruth and Walter Linam. Her parents were longtime owners of Linam Electric in Hobbs, New Mexico. She lived in Hobbs and Midland, Texas, for much of her life.

Her maternal grandfather, Dr. Benjamin Briscoe, homesteaded in Willcox, Arizona. His medical practice was based in Willcox. He served the medical needs of Arizona’s border towns for many years.  James V. Linam, her paternal grandfather, homesteaded in the Hobbs area in 1907.

Wanda’s immediate family returned to Hobbs from Willcox in 1937.  She was educated in Hobbs schools. She attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, now Texas Women’s University. She graduated in 1953 from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Wanda was a collegiate member of the fencing team, the first women’s team allowed to travel for intercollegiate competition.

Returning to Hobbs after graduation, Wanda worked at New Mexico Electric Service Company. She married Irvin Kent Scott (“Scotty”) in March 1966. He died 17 months after their wedding. On Oct. 1, 1968, she married H. Max Perry of Midland, Texas. He preceded her in death. She later moved to Tucson to be near her family.

Wanda had a variety of interests and a strong commitment to community service.

She was known as the ultimate perfectionist in her writing and research. Her meticulously handwritten family genealogy volumes are treasures of historical research, long before the computer age.

She was a voracious reader and book collector, especially volumes about Southwestern history. She was a benefactor of Midland’s Nita Steward Haley Library.

She served on the board of directors of The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Wanda also was an officer in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and active in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Survivors include:  one sister, Virginia Linam of Phoenix; one brother, Jim Linam, and his wife Barbara of Tucson; their children, Joshua (Hattie) Linam, and their son, Jonas, of Arvada, Colo., and Russ Linam of San Diego.