Wallace C. "Wally" Perry

1934 - 2025

Wallace "Wally" C. Perry, 90

Wallace "Wally" C. Perry of Athol Idaho passed away October 16, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Patricia "Pat"; and daughter, Peggy (Tim) Turrell, Post Falls, ID.; grandchildren: Sarah McIntyre, Nathan King, and Jimmy Pollard; niece Romona (Archie) Triber and many other nieces and nephews.

Wally was born in Spokane, WA at Sacred Heart Hospital to Erwin Henry Perry and Beatrice Myrtle Short on November 10, 1934 as the last child of ten. He is preceded in death by his parents; two infant siblings; brothers, John, Henry (Hank), Roy and Ray; sisters, Grace, Joan and Myrtle; sons, Jeffrey, Gregory and daughter, Kathy.

Wally's mother passed away in 1947, when Wally was only twelve. He was raised by his oldest sister and brother. His sister and family moved to Spokane with their three young children and the household became ten with the Yates family and the five children including Wally. When Wally was a teen he moved to Seattle with his sister Joan to live with his older brother Hank and his family. Wally went to school in Burien and is an alum of Burien High School. After high school he joined the Navy and was stationed out of Sand Point Naval Station, Lake Washington, Seattle and finished his tour of duty on Guam as an AN(E3). In the early 60's Wally leased and ran a service station, cabins, towing service with his 1939 Dodge wrecker and a guide service for hunters, campers and Boy Scouts into the wilderness area of the Stewart Range in the Cascades from US-2 above Leavenworth, WA.

Wally was a master carpenter and welder. In the early 70's Wally worked on Expo '74 in Spokane, WA. It was here while visiting Coeur d'Alene one night with some of his co-workers he met his life partner Pat. They just celebrated their 53rd Wedding Anniversary this last August. After carpenter work slowed down Wally suggested they try Alaska as the oil pipeline was in full swing. Before leaving in 1975 they bought 40 acres in the Athol area which eventually became the Good Hope Ranch. Pat transferred from her J C Penny job in Coeur d'Alene to Fairbanks and Wally eventually found work out of the union hall. Wally worked as a carpenter and welder on the Moose Creek dam near North Pole, Alaska, for Alyeska Services on the TransAlaska Pipeline and before retirement he managed the Alaska Department of Public Safety building in Fairbanks. Pat retired in 1995 from J C Pennys and came back to Idaho while Wally stayed another couple of years in Fairbanks to add to his retirement.

Memorial service is at 11:00AM, Friday Nov. 7, 2025 at Yates Funeral Home, 373 E. Hayden Avenue, Hayden, Idaho. Arrangements are provided by Yates Funeral Home. On-line registry and condolences may be found at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.