MARK PERRY

1950 - 2021

Mark Perry, 70, a widely published military and foreign affairs reporter, and historian, died peacefully at his home in Arlington, VA from cancer on August 8, 2021. Perry was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in October 1950, to Noe Clarence Joseph Perry and Ethel Olson. Both his mother and father died when he was a young boy, events that shaped his formative years, and he was sent to the Northwestern Military and Naval Academy on the south shore of Geneva Lake. The Academy ingrained in him a respect and deep interest in the military as well as a commitment to live his life honorably, and with discipline and dignity. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in philosophy from Boston University in 1973, where he met his wife of many years, Nina Mikhalevsky. Perry authored ten books: "Four Stars", Eclipse: The Last Days of the CIA", "A Fire In Zion: Inside the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process", "Conceived in Liberty", "Lift Up Thy Voice", "Grant and Twain", "Partners In Command", "Talking To Terrorists", "The Most Dangerous Man in America: The Making of Douglas MacArthur", and "The Pentagon's Wars: The Military's Undeclared War Against America's Presidents". Perry's books met with critical acclaim from The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Kirkus Reviews, and many other publications. The Boston Globe named The Most Dangerous Man in America the best non-fiction work of 2014, calling it a "brisk but dazzling biography." Bob Woodward called Four Stars "an important study of America's military high command" and wrote, "I've read few books of 400 pages based on so much solid research...[Perry] brings to life a body whose inner workings are as mysterious to most Americans as those of the College of Cardinals and takes the reader on a fact-packed, high-speed tour of a near half-century of political and military history." Perry's work extended beyond his books, and while much of his time was spent researching and writing, he also did significant traveling and reporting in the Middle East, focused on Israel and the West Bank, starting with the first Intifada in 1987. He was committed to and believed that peace in the middle east was possible, and he believed strongly in the power of bringing people together over a cup of coffee to reach compromise. From 1989-2004 he served as informal advisor to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, during which time he also published numerous articles on the conflict. Perry was a senior foreign policy analyst for Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), an international humanitarian organization founded by veterans committed to conflict resolution and addressing the causes and consequences of war. VVAF co-founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and was awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. Perry also served as editor of the Veteran, the largest circulation newspaper for veterans, and editor of Washington City Paper. He was Washington correspondent for The Palestine Report, and a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center. Most recently, Perry served as senior analyst at The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, continuing the work of diplomacy and crafting international peace. Perry is survived by his wife Nina, Arlington, VA; his son Cal (Noreen), London, daughter Madeleine (Gary), Solon, OH; sisters Anne and Lois, Florida; four grandchildren, Amaya, Nayel, Wilder, and Arya. No public services are scheduled at this time. No public services are scheduled at this time.