Perham was the acting Public Information Officer for Steuben County
From Steuben County,
Steuben County mourns the recent loss of Mary Perham, an important presence throughout our community.
Mary was a Steuben County native, born in Hornell and a graduate of Jasper Central School. Mary received her Bachelors in Elementary & Special Education from SUNY Geneseo and a Masters from the University of Cincinnati.
Mary began her career in education in the Canandaigua School District before returning home and directing the latchkey program for the Addison Central School District in the 1980’s. She then transitioned to a career in local journalism, working for the Elmira Star Gazette and the Corning Leader for many years. In this role, Mary was a constant presence at local government meetings, working tirelessly to keep citizens informed. She also crafted countless articles highlighting people and places throughout Steuben that make this county so special.
For approximately the past ten years, Mary served as Public Information Consultant for Steuben County. She attended legislative meetings and collaborated with county departments to relay important information through local media outlets and the county’s Facebook page. She always displayed a true passion for her work, with her most recent efforts focusing on flooding and recovery from Tropical Storm Debby, which severely impacted her hometown of Woodhull.
Mary was honest, fair, and dedicated and she will be deeply missed.
*Editors note: Mary was a mentor in many ways to our “new media” efforts. She understood the old school, and embraced the new school with open arms. No conversation was without a laugh and she encouraged a focus on the good things happening in Steuben County.
