William Dial Perry ’53

Bill, who contracted polio as a child but never let it affect his life, died of pulmonary fibrosis April 24, 2007, on Dataw Island, S.C.

A Washington, D.C., native, “Ace” (as Dick Ellwood said he was fondly called), prepared at St. Alban’s School, majored in English, excelled at IAA football, was active with WPRU and Triangle, and appeared in the Nassau Lit. He married his college sweetheart, Sondra Verkerke.

After receiving his law degree from George Washington University he was a trial attorney for the FTC. He later joined S.C. Johnson & Sons — better known as Johnson Wax — and served as director of government relations for 32 years. Sondra died in 1983, and in 1988 Bill married Jan Thompson.

Besides Jan, he is survived by sons William D. Jr. and John H. ’86; brothers Matthew W. Jr. ’56 and Robert H.; stepchildren Jennifer Biggart and Allan Thompson; and five grandchildren. His sister, Louise, who married Bob Stranahan ’51, predeceased him.

Dudley Smith, Bill’s senior-year roommate and fellow Tower Club member, said, “Bill stood tall on my list of most-admired people. With one leg shriveled by polio, he overcame it all. He was a determined athlete, taking home numerous golf trophies. He had an engaging sense of humor, was a roustabout, and a charmer. He was grace under fire and an unrelenting force.”