Rough week

Perry Dewitt Brantley b. 1946, d. 2007
A good man died recently, and he was Ron's uncle. Perry Dewitt Brantley passed away on Sept. 18 at his home in Capitola. He was like a father to Ron and it has been a very emotional week, to say the least. Lotsa tears and fond memories and more tears... and that's life.
Perry was...
- ... a wonderful son, uncle, father and grandfather.
- ... a Navy vet, who did two tours during the Vietnam conflict. On the high seas, he served for a time under (then lieutenant) Sen. Kerry on the USS Gridley, and remembers Kerry dropping in on a bar one night and telling the guys not to get into any trouble.
- ... big on fast cars. Bought a Plymouth Road Runner and a Datsun 240Z the years they arrived and looked pretty damned cool in them.
- ... a great self-taught tennis player. For a star high school football-type guy, this seemed like something that might be a stretch. But this was Perry, and it worked. He became an A-level singles player by USTA standards and taught me well enough that I went on to play in high school, college and a stint on the pro tour in Europe... thanks to Perry.
- ... one-half of the double sax attack in the popular 1960s Santa Cruz band Corny and the Corvettes, a staple at high school and major dance hall gigs all along the central California coast. They were cool teens who ruled the Cocoanut Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (1965 Battle of the Bands champs!) and many other venues. Some of them really stuck with the music thing too. Band founder and sax man Cornelius Bumpus went on to fame with the Doobie Brothers and Moby Grape, and scored a Grammy with Steely Dan. Bassist Dick Yount went on to be one of the founding members of Harper's Bizarre ("Feelin' Groovy" was their big hit). Drummer Johnny Craviotto went on to collaborate with Neil Young, Ry Cooder and Arlo Guthrie. Craviotto attended Perry's funeral and had some very kind words to share. His final words as he passed the casket, "I'll always love you man."

Perry leaves a son Michael, a daughter Alexis and one grandchild, Tatiana (and Logan on the way). I'll post some pictures of Perry and the band after I scan them. For now, it's back to missing a guy a whole lot of people loved.
- Ron