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Perry F. Williams Unionville, CT QCWA # 14192 |
Perry F. Williams died peacefully on Friday, September 25, 2015 at Mount Saint Vincent Care Center in Holyoke, Massachusetts at the age of 86.
Always ready with a joke or a helping hand, he was a loving husband and father, a caring friend, and active community member, who will be deeply missed.
Perry was born on October 14, 1928 in Springfield, Vermont, to Polly and Carter Williams. He grew up in Willimantic, Connecticut and graduated from Windham High School. Perry attended college briefly before serving two tours of duty in the US Air Force from 1948 to 1954. During these tours, he participated in the Berlin Airlift, served in the 20th Bomb Squadron, and the 24th Bomb Squadron during the Korean conflict.
Perry was a long time resident of Unionville, CT where he lived with his wife Martha after their marriage in 1963.
Perry was an active Amateur Radio Operator licensed as W1UED since 1951. From 1954 until to his retirement in 1994, he promoted Amateur "Ham" Radio in his various roles, including as the Washington Area Coordinator for the American Radio Relay League in Newington, Connecticut. After his retirement, Perry kept up with his "Ham" friends and also achieved his long-term goal of completing his college degree at Charter Oak State College.
Perry loved spending time with his immediate and extended family, going camping and participating in community service activities. He was involved for many years in the Boys Scouts of America, first as a scout attaining the level of Eagle Scout, then as a scout leader through the early 1980's.
He was also a member of Good Shepard Episcopal Church in Hartford, and Saint John's Church of Bristol where he served as choir director, lay reader, and Senior Warden in the 1990s. He spent several recent years enjoying time with his wife and family at the Roaring Brook Campground in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Perry is survived by his brother Melvin; wife Martha; his children and foster children --Christian, Ramona, Arthur, Muriel, Wendy, and Brian; 8 grandchildren--Christina, Joshua, Steven, DJ, Alexander, Nicolas, Maxence and Zoe; and 7 great grandchildren--Tyler, Morgan, Kiera, Josiah, Jeremiah, Jordan, and Luke.
The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to the ARRL Education & Technology Fund. Please send your donations directly to ARRL, Development Office, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494.
A Memorial Service will be held on April 23, 2016, 11:00 AM at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 851 Stafford Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010.
