Bill, as his family and friends call him, was born on August 20, 1938, at Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, to Florence Hansen and Robert Perrin. His family first moved to San Diego when he was 15 years old, and after seeing the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, he decided he'd live here for the rest of his life.
The ocean became a major preoccupation and the main focus of his 45 years of service as a fishery biologist and later as a senior scientist at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California. After four years of serving in the Airforce as a Czech linguist, he decided to get his degree in biology. He specialized for his doctorate, studying dolphins in the Pacific Ocean. This began a life-long career of research, discoveries, mentoring, teaching, chairing committee meetings, publications, editing, etc., all with the bottom line of bringing to light the importance of whales and dolphins in our world and why we should treat them with kindness.
Kindness was one of his many virtues. His boundless generosity of spirit extended from within the family outward to relatives, friends, colleagues, students, and the global community. He always had time to encourage and support the young scientists working in the same field as his.
Accumulating knowledge was another. He was a voracious reader with a vast interest in music, art, science, history, culture, languages, and antiques. He was an avid collector of antique tools, stamps, coins, paper bills, and books. There was never a dull moment for him – he always found something to do.
Despite his busy schedule, he always made time for his family. He was a wonderful husband, a loving father, and a caring brother. Although he went through several upheavals in his life, he remained fair, generous, hopeful, focused, grounded, and never lost faith in the goodness of his fellowmen.
His passing, as one of his friends, said, “evokes many depths of joyful memories, confounding levels of sadness and disappointment, and above all a continuum of bubbling inspiration.” He did NOT simply visit this world- the influence he made reached far and wide, and the legacy he left is immense and will live on.
Bill is survived by his wife, Louella Dolar, sons Benedict and Joey, and brother, Dave.
Links to Tributes & Biography:
https://iucn-csg.org/in-memory-of-william-f-bill-perrin-1938-2022/
https://www.mmc.gov/wp-content/uploads/WIlliam-Perrin-memorial.pdf
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