By Thomas Sellers Jr.
A family matriarch and Millington business leader passed away last Tuesday on January 25.
Donna Percer was known to many who regularly visited Millington Cleaners as Ms. Donna and later as Donna Sr. when she was joined by her daughter-in-law Donna. A familiar site at the cleaners located at 5135 Easley since she was a teenager, Percer helped raised her family into community activists, business leaders and educators in Millington and beyond.
Percer was honored this past weekend including her funeral service Monday morning at her home church the Millington First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobbie Percer and her parents, Hudson and Thelma Farris. She is survived by her sons, Bobbie Percer, Jr. (Donna) of Millington, Leo Percer (Lisa) of Lynchburg, Va., and Scott Percer (Angie) of Millington; six grandchildren, Ethan Percer, Phoebe Percer, Spencer Percer, Garrett Percer, Hudson Percer and Wesley Percer; one great-grandchild, Kashton Percer. A few years ago Percer granted The Millington Star some time during a busy shift at the Millington Cleaners to reflect on the business’ 70 years in operation.
Hudson Farris opened up his business at 5135 Easley Street in 1946 and later his daughter Donna took over the day-to-day operation of the second longest family-owned in Millington (only behind Jones Orchard).
“I think it was March of that year Daddy opened it,” Donna Sr. recalled. “He had two partners, Mr. Dallas and a Mr. Pruitt
“This is where it was started,” she continued. “In the end of the 1940s he bought Dallas out. And in the 50s he bought Mr. Pruitt out and became the sole owner.”
Millington Cleaners mission to provide quality service at a reasonable price helped it survived competition like Liberty Cleaners over the years. Farris bought out them in the 1950s.
“My Dad opened this in 1946 and the base was already opened,” Percer recalled. “During post World War II, the base was thriving as a place to teach young men how to be war pilots. We used to park out there at night and watch them train those young pilots.”
The tradition continues with owners Bobby and Donna Jr.
“We’ve been able to survive because it is family-owned and family-operated, that has been the key,” Donna Sr., said. “We’ve had others come and go. The ones like Walter Johnson at Jet Way and Navy Road were family owned. They survived for a while.
“I think the success of this business is being family ran and family operated,” Donna reiterated. “We know most of our customers. I’ve known most of them since they were kids. We just want Millington to flourish.”
Percer was laid to rest in Memphis Memory Gardens. The family asks any memorials be made to the First Baptist Church – Harvest Fund.
