DALTON, Mass.—Services will be held today for John Enright, 79, co-founder of Perferx Optical Co., who passed away on March 22 here. Enright and his late wife, Beverly Wasuk Enright, founded Perferx, a wholesale optical laboratory in 1974. At the time of his death, he served as executive advisor of the lab.

Enright, who was inducted into the Optical Laboratory Association (OLA) Hall of Fame in 2007, was born here and was a 1953 graduate of Pittsfield High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1957, achieving the rank of airman, First Class. After the service, Enright began working at American Optical, was named branch manager in 1966, and when the company closed its local branch in 1974, he and Beverly established Perferx.

Enright played slow-pitch softball until the age of 45. He was mentioned in Kevin O’Hara’s book, “A Lucky Irish Lad,” which included a segment on Enright’s team playing the King and His Court, a four-man fast-pitch softball team that toured the country, taking on top competitors. He was a member and former two-term president of Wahconah Country Club, where he played in a league and ran the annual Little Brown Jug Golf Tournament. Enright was a member of St. Agnes' Church, and a former member of Sacred Heart Church in Pittsfield, where he served as president of the Parish Council and taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes. He also volunteered with Elder Services in Pittsfield.

Enright was also a devoted father, grandfather and friend. He is survived by four daughters, Coleen Allessio and her husband, Robert, Rebecca Yannone and her husband, Joseph, Melanie Gillmeister and her husband, Gerard, and Tracie Folan Bennett; a son, John Lawrence Enright Jr. and his wife, Tricia; his longtime companion, Denise Grady; his brother, Harold Enright, his sister, Mary Theresa Enright, along with 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his siblings, Orville Enright, Shirley Petell, Myrtle Blouin, Robert Enright, Elizabeth Witanek, Dawn Delmolino and Jean Yon.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John Enright Memorial Fund in care of the Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 to continue the efforts to assist local people in need, including those who cannot afford transportation or medicines for their cancer treatments. The funeral will be held today at 10:00 a.m. at St. Agnes' Church.