Richard W. Perlman

Perlman, Richard W. Professor Richard Perlman, age 88, died peacefully of natural causes on July 18, 2012, surrounded by family and friends. Professor Perlman was born on December 15, 1923, in Mt. Vernon, New York, the son of Uriel and Annie (Feitelberg) Perlman. He graduated from Cornell University in 1946 and received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1951. Professor Perlman served in the armed forces during World War II. Professor Perlman had a long and distinguished career as a Professor of Economics, most notably at U. W. M. from 1964-1997. His book Labor Theory, published in 1967, received the highest critical acclaim, influenced a generation of labor economists, and was still very extensively cited three decades after its initial publication. In addition to Labor Theory, Professor Perlman wrote several other books on labor economics, numerous articles in leading journals, and was twice awarded the Fulbright Scholarship, first to teach in 1964 in Mexico City and again in Madrid, Spain, in 1972. In addition to his scholarly accomplishments, Professor Perlman was a popular teacher and lecturer with an international reputation, as he taught and consulted for universities in England, Israel, Mexico, Canada, Uruguay, and Australia. Professor Perlman had a keen interest in mentoring young students and the Perlman Prize, a U.W.M. scholarship for promising economic students, was started in his honor. Richard Perlman was a thoughtful, generous, and witty man whose personal life reflected his attributes. He married his wife Irma, who he lovingly referred to as Havana, in 1949, and had four children Abel, Dave (Andra) of Madison, Laura (John) Hale of Menlo Park, and Jennifer (Joe) Sullivan of Chicago, along with fifteen grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two nephews and two nieces. Richard is preceded in death by his son Abel and his brother Daniel (Marilyn). Richard was blessed with countless friendships, from every aspect of life. He blessed them with his unique mixture of kindness, laced with humor and understanding. In his later years his friends all called him "Louie," a pet name whose origins remain shrouded in family legend. To know Richard was to be entertained and amazed by him, and to love him. During his last year, Louie was burdened by poor health but appreciated and enjoyed the compassion he received from his caregivers, Natasha, Stephanie, Cynthia, Jane, and Janet, who loved him dearly as he did them. Our thanks also to the kind people at Amedisys who frequently checked on Louie's health, and to the caring staff at Columbia- St. Mary Hospital (Milwaukee Campus) . In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to "Autism Speaks". There will be a gathering to celebrate Richard Perlman's life at his home in September.