Ralph Perlman

A memorial service honoring the life of Ralph Perlman will be held at Rabenhorst East Funeral Home at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28. The family will greet visitors beginning at 2:00 p.m., with service to follow. Mr. Perlman died peacefully in the Butterfly Wing of Hospice of Baton Rouge on the evening of May 24, at the age of 96, following a brief illness. He was born on May 16, 1917, in New York City, the only son of European immigrants. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a Master's in Business from Columbia University. World War II found him at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, where he met Carol Herzberg, to whom he was married until her untimely death from cancer in 1981. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Bessie Perlman, and his sister, Jean Perlman Laber, all of New York City. Mr. Perlman served with distinction in Europe as an artillery officer with the 63rd Infantry Division. Following World War II, he established a home in Baton Rouge, where he went into business. In 1966, he joined the staff of then-State Senator J. Bennett Johnston. Thus began a distinguished career in state government, including service as Budget Director for the state under four governors, followed by service as a special assistant for the University of Louisiana System. As State Budget Director, his accomplishments included the development of the Office of State Group Insurance and overseeing the state's $5 million dollar investment in the 1984 World's Fair held in New Orleans. In 2011, he was inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame. Mr. Perlman is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 29 years, Billie Perlman; a nephew, Bill Laber of The Villages, Florida; a son, Jerry Perlman and his wife Francine, of Shreveport; a granddaughter, Louise Graffeo, her husband, Tony, and their children, Carol, Teddy and Miriam, of Huntsville, Alabama; a grandson, Lee Perlman, his wife, Ginny, and their daughter, Reese, of Denver; and a step-daughter, Ann Mitchell and her husband, Don, of Houston, and their family. The family wishes to thank Dr. David Fontenot for his caring and tireless efforts in helping Mr. Perlman maintain an active, vibrant life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Holy Angels School of Shreveport, Hospice of Baton Rouge, Temple B'nai Israel of Baton Rouge, or a charity of choice.