Funeral services for Perry Ellyson Westmoreland, 93, of Livingston, Texas, will be held Friday, June 10, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel in Livingston, Texas with Bro. Sonny Hathaway officiating. Interment will follow in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Livingston, Texas. Visitation will be held Friday, June 10, 2022, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., before the service begins, in the Cochran Funeral Home.

Perry was born July 20, 1928, in Nevada County near Prescott, Arkansas, to Forrest Malden and Drue Essie Tunnell Westmoreland. In his loving Christian family, Perry was taught its values and came to know the Lord. Later, he was dedicated to his wife and family, always wanting the best for each of them.

In Perry's childhood, his family lived on a farm, where Perry gained the knowledge and skills he used most of his life to pursue his lifetime hobby of gardening. In the 1940's, his family moved to Houston. Perry graduated from John H. Reagan High School, and then began attending the University of Houston at night, supporting his own way.

During the Korean War, Perry honorably served three years in the U.S. Air Force. In 1954, he met Nora Joanne McKee, and they were married the next year at Central Baptist Church in Livingston, Texas. To this union, three children, four grandchildren, and five great grandchildren were born.

After working for Humble Oil and Texas Instruments, Perry graduated from the University of Houston in June, 1959. He then began his career in the Space Industry. In his 23 years with NASA at Johnson Space Center, Perry worked in Systems Engineering. That tenure included work involving the Mercury, Apollo, and Shuttle programs. He was on duty at the Johnson Space Center the night of his birthday, when the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon. Perry retired from NASA in 1983. From 1983 to 1993, Perry worked for GE Government Services on its Space Shuttle Life Science mission. He retired from GE as a Manager of Systems Engineering.

Following this retirement, Perry and Joanne moved from League City, Texas to their place on Lake Livingston, where they enjoyed nearly 29 years of retirement. For many years, he was a member of Central Baptist Church, Livingston. Perry passed away peacefully June 4, 2022.

Perry Ellyson is survived by his wife, Nora Joanne McKee Westmoreland; sons, James Forrest Westmoreland and wife, Angela of Pearland, Texas, and David Glen Westmoreland of Norwalk, Connecticut; daughter, Carol Ann Morin and husband, Tim of Fredericksburg, Texas; grandsons, Andrew James Westmoreland and wife, Leah of Houston, Texas, William Perry Shipman and wife, Leah of Boerne, Texas, Thomas Weldon Shipman and wife, Amanda of Kaiserslautern, Germany; granddaughter, Jamie Lynn Gladden and husband, Jeramiah of Lorena, Texas; great grandchildren, Travis Perry Shipman, Austin William Shipman, Miles Weldon Shipman, Nora Alice Shipman, Emily Anne Gladden; nieces and nephews, Kevin Sanford, Karen Moon, Kristen Birdsong, Barry Westmoreland, Robin Gorman, and Elizabeth Baker.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Forrest and Drue Tunnell Westmoreland; brother, Jake Isaac Westmoreland, sisters, Margaret Enola McKinley, and Merle Sanford; half brothers and sisters, Hazel Anders, Jerry Gilbert Westmoreland, Bessie Foster, Lois Lee, Dallas Westmoreland, Retha Wellman, and Forrest Westmoreland, Jr.