John Leonard Perlingiero, 72, passed away January 5, 2025, at his home in Sevierville, Tennessee. John was born on May 15, 1952, in Audubon, New Jersey.
Around the age of 7, John moved with his family to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area where he stayed throughout high school, eventually attending college at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Here, inspired by Ansel Adams, John found a love for photography that he carried for the rest of his life
In 1973, he moved to Sevierville, landing a job with the local theme park “Goldrush Junction”, where he shot and developed tin-type photos.
John was the owner of Geppetto’s toy store in Gatlinburg in the 1980s and Cox International Travel Agency in the 1990s, later working as an insurance claims adjuster, and at Smoky Mountain Wine & Spirits where he enjoyed meeting people and working with friends. He enjoyed archery, carpentry, and golf in his spare time.
John is preceded in death by his father and mother, Armand (Ray) and Anna Marie Perlingiero. John is survived by his son, Matt (Kim) Perlingiero; daughter, Amber (Mike) Robertson; grandson, Jacob Ward; sister, Rayanne (Don) Barnett; nephew, Donald (Beth) Barnett; niece, Angelina (Glenn) Giro; great-nieces, Anna Barnett, Adelina and Ileana Giro; great-nephews, Chad and Christian Barnett; and a great many friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The family will celebrate John’s life at his home in Sevierville, at 1660 Valley Woods Drive, on April 12 from 1-5. Any friends or relatives of the family who wish to honor John are welcome to come by at that time.