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Elmer Raymond Perl
05/14/1924 — 08/19/2005
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Chicago, Illinois
Elmer Raymond Perl
Elmer Raymond Perl passed away Friday, August 19, 2005 at Kadlec Medical center.
Elmer was born on May 14, 1924 to Raymond and Ella Perl in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Lane Tech High School of Chicago in 1942. Shortly thereafter, he joined the U.S. Navy. While stationed in Sun Valley, Idaho as a medical corpsman, he met his future beautiful wife, Helen Elliott at the U.S.O. in Twin Falls, Idaho.
After the war was over, Elmer and Helen were reunited and married in Ann Arbor Michigan on June 22, 1947. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elmer and Helen were married for fifty eight years and had two children, Thomas Raymond Perl and Pamela Ann Perl.
The Perls moved to Richland in 1959. Elmer worked for several companies on the Hanford Project. He retired from Exxon and Seimens Nuclear where he helped set up the computer department and worked through many developments of the computer industry.
Elmer and Helen loved to travel. They visited all the continents of the world except Antarctica. Winters were spent in Mesa, AZ. as snow birds.
Elmer was a faithful husband, father and friend. He will also be remembered for his love of music and the arts. He enjoyed singing in a male quartet and the M-Mens chorus. His children will remember him for his infamous rendition of the Rigoletto Chorus and the countless hours spent in the car singing their trips away. Elmer was also active in the Boy Scouting program. His son Tom will remember their fifty mile journey together with their scout troop on the Washington coast.
The walls and shelves of the Perl home are filled with Kachina dolls and needle point all hand-crafted by Elmer in his senior years. Elmer was always busy with his hands despite his illnesses that greatly affected his ability to walk and get around.
Elmer was preceded in death by his mother and father, grandsons, Michael and Joshua and great grandson Caleb.
He is survived by his devoted wife Helen, son Tom Perl, his wife Nancy and their children John, Robert, Mark, Allen, Crystal, Douglas, Deanna, Jessica, and Christina, his daughter Pam McWhorter, her husband Mike and their children Jennifer, Michelle and Kimberly. He is also survived by granddaughters in-law Tonia and Kalli Perl and great grandson Brendan.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 23, 2005 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1720 Thayer Drive, Richland, Washington.
Family will receive friends and viewing will be 9:45 to 10: 45 a.m. at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scouts of America, 8478 W. Gage Blvd. Kennewick, WA 99336 or to the charity of your choice.
I’m the fifth of Grandpa’s five grandsons. I loved and love that man. In truth, I had not known him as well as I wanted to in life, and was planning to change that as soon as I got back from Germany. I remember, though, that he was always fun to talk to and that he always had a big smile on his face when he came to visit. I’m sad, but comforted by the fact of knowing, that, although he has died, he lives on, and that if we live worthly, that we will one day see him again. I am grateful for the choices that he and Grandma made, that make me who I am today. I wish to thank him for his devotion in the gospel and the unbounding opportunities that he has given to his descendents. I hope that we as a family can live up to his example. Grandpa, I love you. Thank you for everything.
Doug
Dear Helen; Some thoughts of Elmer. Elmer put up a valiant battle to keep going so he could be with you. Spending the winters in Arizona as did must have added years to Elmer;s time. I can’t ever remember hearing Elmer complain about anything. With all of the suffering that he experienced, it is remarkable to me. Elmer was the most pleasant man I’ve ever known. His ability to build things such as computers and their technology, model airplanes, shortwave radios, Indian dolls was amazing. He had such great talents! Elmer was a great man, devoted to his church and his family. i am proud to have been his friend.
I’m the fifth of Grandpa’s five grandsons. I loved and love that man. In truth, I had not known him as well as I wanted to in life, and was planning to change that as soon as I got back from Germany. I remember, though, that he was always fun to talk to and that he always had a big smile on his face when he came to visit. I’m sad, but comforted by the fact of knowing, that, although he has died, he lives on, and that if we live worthly, that we will one day see him again. I am grateful for the choices that he and Grandma made, that make me who I am today. I wish to thank him for his devotion in the gospel and the unbounding opportunities that he has given to his descendents. I hope that we as a family can live up to his example. Grandpa, I love you. Thank you for everything.
Doug
Dear Helen; Some thoughts of Elmer. Elmer put up a valiant battle to keep going so he could be with you. Spending the winters in Arizona as did must have added years to Elmer;s time. I can’t ever remember hearing Elmer complain about anything. With all of the suffering that he experienced, it is remarkable to me. Elmer was the most pleasant man I’ve ever known. His ability to build things such as computers and their technology, model airplanes, shortwave radios, Indian dolls was amazing. He had such great talents! Elmer was a great man, devoted to his church and his family. i am proud to have been his friend.
I worked with Elmer in the computer department at Siemens, up until his retirement. He was always kind and patient with those of us who didn’t know as much about networking as he did. My condolences to the Perl family. He was a joy to work with.
I enjoyed working with Elmer at Siemens up until his retirement. He was an asset to our group and I am proud to have known him.
Dear Helen; Some thoughts of Elmer. Elmer put up a valiant battle to keep going so he could be with you. Spending the winters in Arizona as did must have added years to Elmer;s time. I can’t ever remember hearing Elmer complain about anything. With all of the suffering that he experienced, it is remarkable to me. Elmer was the most pleasant man I’ve ever known. His ability to build things such as computers and their technology, model airplanes, shortwave radios, Indian dolls was amazing. He had such great talents! Elmer was a great man, devoted to his church and his family. i am proud to have been his friend.
We have been long time friends of the Perls. Elmer was a wonderful person in every way. My wife played bridge with Helen on a weekly basis and Elmer was always supportive of her doing this.
Elmer was friendly at all times and will be greatly missed. May he Restin Peace.
Dear Helen,
I was saddened to hear of Elmer’s passing. Elmer was my predecessor to what became my job at Siemens years ago. I enjoyed working with him and especially his enthusiasm for new projects. He was a good role model and helped me become successful at my job back then. Please accept my condolences to you and the rest of the Perl family
Dear Helen, Tommy, & Pam. I was saddened to learn of the passing of Elmer. I have such fond memorys of being your neighbors while I was growing up in Richland. I remember the encourgement that he gave me when I became a Boy Scout. He always would take time to say “Hi” to all of us kids in the neighborhood. After our family moved to Portland, Helen & Elmer came to visit us. They were on their way to the Oregon Coast and they invited us to go along. We followed and had a great mini vacation with them. Elmer took us crabbing in the bay in a little boat that he rented, and showed my brother & me how to catch, cook and clean the crabs. We had a great feast that night. Elmer was and is a very good person to have known. I was lucky to have met him.
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Elmer Raymond Perl