Perry Damone

The world has lost a wonderful person, but Heaven has received a beautiful soul.

At the age of 59, on Dec. 9, 2014 at 3:11 p.m., Perry Rocco Luigi Farinola Damone was released from his valiant battle with lymphoma. He was surrounded and held by his closest family members and friends as he departed.

Perry was born in Los Angeles, Calif. on Aug. 21, 1955 to singer Vic Damone and Italian actress Anna Maria Pierangeli.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Anna Maria Pierangeli, who passed away in 1971 at the age of 39.

Perry is survived by his family, Nancy Damone to whom he was married for 21 years; father, Vic Damone, and wife, Rena; sisters, Daniella Woodard, Andrea Damone-Brown, and Victoria Damone-Leonard and immediate family. Perry is also survived by his aunts, Italian actress Marisa Pavan, and film coach Patrizia Pierangeli. He leaves behind beloved friends who have ministered to him faithfully, Frank and Kathy Sinclair, Klynn Hoffmann, and many others.

As a young child, Perry grew up in Italy with his mother, Anna Maria Pierangeli, and his first language was Italian.

In his teens, he later came to Los Angeles to live with his father, Vic Damone, where he got to know his three younger sisters and came to love them very much. He learned English from listening to American radio shows and decided that he wanted to become a radio personality. He achieved that dream with hard work and determination and became one of the most beloved personalities in Phoenix on 99.9 KEZ Radio.

His favorite part of being a radio broadcaster was being able to speak with his listeners, not to them. He always answered his phone and spoke to people, and cared about what they needed and what they had to share. He felt that radio should serve the community. Working for KEZ for almost 15 years is a lifetime when it comes to radio.

During that time Perry realized another dream... helping children to find their purpose and self-esteem. That is when the idea for Kidstar Radio was first conceived. Perry was involved with so many facets of the media during his career.

He wrote a regular column for Let’s Go magazine for a couple of years ...Perry’s Pics. He was a regular face and voice on News Channel 3 TV, he worked on Channel 8 telethons to help raise money for their station, and worked many charity events to help the community.

He was the stadium announcer for The Arizona Cardinals during the Buddy Ryan season, which was a great thrill for him, as he was probably one of the biggest fans the Arizona Cardinals ever had.

During all of these events, he envisioned young people doing the interviewing, the writing, the thinking, and being involved to better themselves and the world around them. “The power of a child’s voice should not be underestimated.”

The Perry Damone Golf Classic was held for many years at Desert Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills to help raise money and awareness for his Kidstar program. He even had Kidstar Radio acknowledged by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. Kidstar was part of the106th Congressional Record and recognized to be a powerful tool in helping children to stay out of gangs.

Kidstar has been Perry’s passion throughout his adult life, and his greatest wish was that it would continue to grow and help children all over the world for years to come.

Perry never had a negative thing to say about anyone. His sense of humor was contagious, his pranks full of fun. He was a person of good character, with a spirit of great determination to achieve his goals. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him. He will live on in the Kingdom of Heaven, and we will someday rejoice once again with him.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015 at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills. The address is 15555 E. Bainbridge Avenue in Fountain Hills. Pastor Gary Emmons will officiate the ceremony. The service is open to the public.

A memorial gathering and tribute to Perry’s life will be held afterwards at the Parkview Taphouse Restaurant, located at 16828 E. Parkview Avenue, Fountain Hills. All are welcome to this event also.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Perry’s name to Kidstar Radio, 12635 N. 42nd Street #120 Phoenix, AZ 85032.