William Dudley Perry

William Dudley Perry
10/7/1918 - 2/1/2013


William "Bill" D. Perry passed away of natural causes at the age of 94 on February 1, 2013 at Auburn Oaks Care Center in Auburn, Calif.
Born October 7, 1918 in Salt Lake City, Utah to William and Florence Perry. They moved to Lincoln, Nebr., in his teens. He received a Bachelors of Science Degree in Chemistry, University of Nebraska, 1940. Upon graduation, he worked in the petroleum industry in Tulsa, Okla., where he met his future wife, Lorraine Ferguson, ice skating. They were married February 19, 1943. He received an occupational deferment during World War II, but joined the U.S. Navy anyway, receiving a commission as an officer. Trained in the Japanese language in Boulder, Colo., he was stationed at Department of the Navy Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
After the war, he resumed working in the petroleum industry with Chevron (Standard Oil of California), first at their refinery in Richmond, Calif., and then as a manager/executive at the San Francisco home office. While working at Chevron, he lived in Richmond, El Cerrito and San Anselmo, Calif.
Upon retirement in the mid-1980's, Bill and Lorraine moved to Lake of the Pines near Auburn, Calif., where they lived until about two weeks before his death, at which time he was moved to a nursing home (Our thanks to the staff at Auburn Oaks Care Center for making his final days dignified and comfortable.)
Bill was a champion tennis player in his youth and avidly pursued both tennis and golf well into old age. He and Lorraine were also frequent travelers, having visited every continent except Antarctica. Bill was known as a generous man with an easy disposition and a droll sense of humor, well-liked by all.
Bill is survived by his beloved wife Lorraine; by his three children, William, Nancy (both of Auburn, Calif.) and John (of Novato, Calif.); and by his beloved sister, Elleadeane Brockmeier (of Lincoln, Nebr.)
There will be no funeral, by his request. His ashes will be interred at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif.
The family requests that any donations be sent to Sammie's Friends Animal Shelter in Grass Valley.