Perry led a life committed to public service. He was the namesake, a founding member, and eventually the mayor of Perrytown. He was founding member of Providence Memorial Baptist Church in Perrytown, a member of the Board of Directors of Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce and its 1994 Citizen of the Year, one of the founders of Hempstead County Ambulance Service and Perrytown Volunteer Fire Department. He also served on the Life Word Board and the Clinton Birthplace Foundation Board. 

A successful entrepreneur, Perry began his business career as the proprietor of a single truck stop and eventually became the owner of Western Sizzlin' Restaurant, Dos Locos Gringos Restaurant, Best Western Motel and a Holiday Inn Express in Hope. Perry understood more than most the importance of changing with the times and his adaptability placed him in a league of his own. Western Sizzlin' Restaurant recently celebrated its 20th anniversary on Perry's 77th birthday, a day declared `Perry Campbell Day!' by the City of Hope. 

Some of my earliest and fondest memories growing up just outside of Hope are going to Perry's truck stop for dinner on Saturday nights with my parents. It was a genuine weekend treat. Back then, and up until a few months before Perry's death, part of the dining experience was seeing Perry at Western Sizzlin' as he would always make it a point to visit your table to ensure you were pleased with your meal. Perry understood the importance of the personal touch in the restaurant business. 

For many people, Perry was the embodiment of the hospitality industry. Perhaps his most shining moment was when Perry was inducted into the Arkansas Hospitality Association Hall of Fame in 1996, after serving on the Arkansas Lodging Association Board and as its President from 1993-1994. He also received the Golden Key Award in 1995. 

Perry was an exceptionally driven man with an entrepreneurial spirit second to none. He had an extraordinarily generous spirit, but never desired public recognition for his many contributions to the community. My heartfelt condolences go out to Perry's family, business associates, and the many people who join me in counting him as a friend. I have lost a true friend and will miss him, but his legacy will live on in Perrytown, Hope, and Arkansas for generations to come.