ROCKLAND — The Rockland Historical Society and the Rockland Public Library will present Big Ben and Stanley's Stupid Funny Stuff in the Rockland Public Library Community Room on Tuesday, April 25, at 6:30 pm. Retired U. S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Ben Perry will make you laugh with his banter and his original creations based on puns and double meanings.

Perry grew up in Rockland, a hellion of the Class of 1954. He is a virtual history of the Rockland Business District. He had a paper route for the Portland Press Herald. He caddied at the Samoset. He worked for the St. Clair and Allen Candy Company, Day's Jewelry Store, Newberry's 5 & 10, Perry's Market on Main Street, Perry's Market on Park Street, and Jack's Place Restaurant. Contrary to his mother's fears, Perry did not set the Rockland Fire of 1952.

Perry had an exciting naval career, sailing around the world twice, visiting 47 countries, eating elephant ears and monkey meat with President William Tubman of Liberia, and serving as a Navy recruiter in Rockland.

Retiring from the Navy, Perry returned to boost the Rockland economy, selling cars for Moody Pontiac and Buick, Shepard Chevrolet, and serving as the parts manager for Rockland Ford. He was a Boy Scout commissioner and a licensed Maine guide. Perry served as personnel manager and safety director for Fisher Engineering for 12 years, and then he worked for Camden National Bank for 15 years, where he began his career as a practical joker. Perry is well known for his award winning parade floats, such as Tthe International House of Cake Pans, The John Deer, My Eye Pad and Maine's First Cell Phone, which featured an antique wall phone inside a jail cell.

Perry has been married for 48 years. His wife, Mary, taught for four years in Virginia and then taught language arts at Rockland Junior High School and Rockland Middle School for 36 years. Perry figures that together he and Mary had worked for a combined 100 years when they retired.

Following Big Ben and Stanley's Stupid Funny Stuff, the audience will adjourn to the Rockland Historical Society Museum for conversation and cookies. Much of Perry's hysterical folk art will be on exhibit in the Rockland Public Library's display cases during the month of May.