John H. Perry

John H. Perry, revered ringmaster, judge and announcer for major horse shows around the country, died at his Wellington, Fla., home on July 7 after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 64.

Mr. Perry’s lengthy tenure as ringmaster at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Dressage at Devon, all in Pennsylvania, made him a familiar and beloved presence on the East Coast show circuit.

“John always did such a great job for us. He was one of the longest serving ringmasters at Devon, and we will all miss him very much. It will be hard to find someone with all the wonderful qualities he had,” said Leonard King, the Devon president.

Mr. Perry also worked in several capacities at the Washington (D.C.) International, Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.), Pennsylvania National, American Gold Cup (Pa.) and numerous other American Grandprix Association events.

“John was a huge part of the show world in Wellington,” said Mason Phelps, president of The Phelps Media Group. “His presence as a ringmaster, announcer and jumper judge for most of the South Florida horse shows has left a big void. John was certainly one of the nicest people working the horse shows, and no task was too difficult for him.”

After Mr. Perry and his first wife, Ann, divorced in 1993, he moved to Florida, but he returned to Pennsylvania frequently during show season. Following his marriage several years ago to horse show judge Betsy Hopple, the couple settled in Wellington.

Kim Tudor, of Classic Communications director, fondly recalled her association with Mr. Perry.

“John became an instant friend when I started working for Stadium Jumping 25 years ago. We met in Wellington at the $5 ring, where both he and Doc Rost were officiating–they turned out to be my two favorite curmudgeons,” she said.

“My favorite and final memory of John will be working with him at the American Invitational [Fla.] this past April. For what would sadly turn out to be his final ringmaster’s duty, John put on his formal pinks to blow the horn in front of 20,000 people in Tampa Stadium. He smiled all night. And we smiled with him,” Tudor added.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a sister, June Carroll, and nephews and nieces in England.
Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice of Palm Beach, Fla.

Eva G. Xanthopoulos

Horsewoman Eva G. Xanthopoulos, of Dillon, Mont., died on June 13, from injuries sustained in a car accident. She was 48.

Mrs. Xanthopoulos grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and attended Long Island University at C.W. Post College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and art and met her husband, John.

While living in New Rochelle, N.Y., the Xanthopouloses owned two riding facilities, Thorobrook Farm in Rye, N.Y., and West Lake Stables in Eastchester, N.Y., where Mrs. Xanthopoulos helped care for the horses and farm.

In 1991, the family moved to Florida, where Mrs. Xanthopoulos was a supporting force in her husband’s endeavor as the founding coach of the University of Miami Equestrian Team chapter, which competed in Intercollegiate Horse Show Association shows.

After moving to Dillon, Mont., in 2001, the couple started the Professional Horsemen’s Association Rocky Mountain chapter in Dillon, the annual University of Montana-Western horse show, as well as the PHA horse show in Bozeman, Mont.

“Her passing leaves a deep void in many people, and she will be remembered for her positive nature and desire to promote the best in those she loved,” said John.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Xanthopoulos is survived by her daughter, Eve, of Dillon; her son, Andrew, who currently attends the University of Florida; her mother, Eva; and sister, Susan, both of Roslyn, N.Y.; and brother, Peter, of Denver, Colo., as well as four nephews and one niece.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Equestrian Team, c/o University of Montana Western Foundation, 710 S. Atlantic, Dillon, MT 59725.

Madelyn C. Marzani

Madelyn Colombo Marzani, the former managing editor of Middleburg Life and a staff member of the newspaper for 19 years, died of cancer on June 11 at her home near Warrenton, Va. She was 77.

Ever since arriving from her native Pennsylvania to the Middleburg area in 1957, Mrs. Marzani had embraced the lifestyle and cherished the countryside with an enthusiastic nature that might best be compared with her beloved Jack Russell terriers. She frequently helped exercise several well-known steeplechase horses under the training of her former husband, Daniel Marzani Sr. (They divorced in 1967.)

She also helped exercise horses for the late Liz Whitney Tippett and the Ohrstrom family, and she also volunteered in local Pony Club activities.

On April 21, 1971, Mrs. Marzani began her career in publishing when the first issue of The Piedmont Virginian, a weekly paper focused on preservation issues of Northern Virginia, and her steadfast viewpoint on growth was born.

She processed all the film, took pictures, wrote articles, and worked in the advertising department.

“She was funny, she was efficient and straight up,” said Carol Bowersock of Moalla, Ore., who worked as the production manager at The Piedmont Virginia and was mayor of Middleburg from 1994 to ’98. “She would say it to your face before she would say it behind your back. I respected her for that. She didn’t pull any punches.”

In the mid-1970s, Ms. Marzani went to work for The Fauquier Democrat, a weekly newspaper based in Warrenton, and became a successful advertising manager.

In 1986, Mrs. Marzani went to work for Middleburg Life, a monthly tabloid based in the heart of the horse country. Mrs. Marzani took over editorial matters and shot most of the photographs until shortly before her death.

Mrs. Marzani is survived by sons Daniel Marzani Jr. of Berryville, Va., and Stephen Marzani of Chino Valley, Ariz.; brothers Wellington Columbo of Waverly, Pa., Ernest Columbo of Fleetville, Pa., and Frank Columbo of Glenburn, Pa.; and sister Mary O’Dea of Clarks Summit, Pa.

Peter R. Murphy

Peter Murphy, of Tallahassee, Fla., Red Hills’ Volunteer of the Year at the Red Hills Horse Trials (Fla.), died June 10 after a short battle with cancer. He was 63.

Mr. Murphy grew up in Walton, N.Y., where he met his future wife, Sylvia Ochs. He was a Vietnam veteran, having served in the 1st Cavalry Division, and he later became an electrical engineer.

The hallmark of his career path was developing innovative technologies. He worked at Cape Canaveral (Fla.) during the first manned space flight and later developed simulation modules to enhance the development of the Stealth Bomber Program.

Mr. Murphy was also recruited to develop motion platforms for the technology that led to the creation of virtual-reality rides employed by Disney and other companies. In 1992, he moved to Tallahassee to work as the assistant director of research and programming at the FSU National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

Through his wife, he became involved in the Red Hills Horse Trials and developed cutting-edge computer programs to support all aspects of the event. In 2004, he was named Red Hills’ Volunteer of the Year.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Murphy is survived by brother Raymond Murphy and sister Barbara Tietjen, both of Walton, N.Y. and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be sent to the United Network for Organ Sharing, c/o UNOS Foundation, P.O. Box 2484, Richmond, VA 23218.