William "Bill" Ralph Perry

Bill Perry died in his home in Deer Lodge on Thursday. He left this world with his 90 years and with a lifetime of service.

He leaves behind the love of his life, Ellen Perry, his 5 children, and 12 grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild.

He was born in Tucson, Arizona, to Elsie Lorenz Conlyn and Bill Cook in October 1934. The wild Arizona desert stirred the cowman in Bill, and it never left his soul. A horseman and a member of the Back Country Horsemen, you could always recognize him wearing well-worn blue jeans, a cowboy hat, boots, and a big belt buckle.

Bill married Beverly Beech in 1952. Shortly after the two welcomed three beautiful girls, Rachel, Leah, and Gwen.

Bill was a hero both abroad and at home.

His career in the Army began in 1952. He served three tours in Vietnam, including two in special forces. He parachuted into the hot and humid jungles with a mission that would sometimes last for months.

Bill was a teacher behind enemy lines. He worked closely with the Montagnard villages to teach them how to protect themselves against the Viet Cong. His mission was to assist with preserving Indigenous Vietnamese against the atrocities they were subjected to. It was dangerous work, and he was good at what he did. History tells us his work made a difference.

Later, he was deployed to Berlin to stop a Russian invasion. He was authorized to use radical force at the risk of ending his own life. His wife, Beverly, and children traveled there with him and lived on base.

Bill was a humanitarian in the military. He was deployed to the Dominican Republic with the orders to secure a communications tower with a four-block perimeter. Bill did so much more. He saw the people had no water and food, forced to work in the afternoon heat even though the temperatures reached extreme. He found an abandoned oil tanker, scrubbed it and used it to transport fresh water. Bill lifted the curfew to allow people to gather for parties in the evenings. The people tried to name the streets after Bill. This is the kind of American soldier he was.

He attended college in Santa Monica, California and earned his Bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science. Later, he divorced his first wife, Beverly. He retired in 1976 as a major, receiving his field commission in Vietnam.

Bill then worked for the National Park Service. He found comfort and healing serving as a ranger in Death Valley, driving a truck through the long, solitary roads. There, he found his love, a fellow park ranger, Ellen Haynes. He was smitten and, recognizing a good thing, married her. Together, they transferred to the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and then later moved to Corvallis, Montana. They moved to Deer Lodge, where they welcomed their first child, William S. Perry. Bill's career history brought him to work at Montana State Prison as a correctional officer. He promptly joined the Police Force as a Deputy on Reserve. Their second child, Anna Perry, arrived seven years later.

Bill raised his children with stories of war, justice and honor, always with a twinkle in his eyes and affection in his hugs.

When the prisoners rioted in 1991, Bill Perry was part of the SWAT team that contained the situation. His expertise and courage were invaluable.

This was not the first situation where Bill's training and initiative saved lives. When his brother, Bruce's, sweetheart was kidnapped by a serial defiler and murderer, Bill tracked them down and brought the villain to justice. She lived.

After Bill's retirement, he served as an active member of both the American Legion, VFW and as an Honor Guard.

Bill was an excellent soldier, a warrior, a good father and husband.

He was a man of sound moral character and honor with an appreciation for justice.

His parents and brother are waiting for him on the "other side." He leaves behind his beloved wife, Ellen, his five children, Rachel Perry, Leah Lawless, Gwendolyn Perry, William Perry and Anna Perry. Bill precedes in passing his grandchildren, Thomas and Grace Lawton; Mariah Perry; Liam and Ben Lawless; Kevin, Tim, and Seth O'Brian; Liam Perry; Layla and Valorie Perry, and River Oran.

We pay tribute to a true American hero and patriot.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105, or Wounded Warrior Foundation at 3315 S. 23rd St., Suite 310, Tacoma, WA 98405.

Services are being held at 4 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Deer Lodge Elks, 230 Main St., followed by refreshments at Depot Church, 401 Railroad St. Burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery on a later date.