Charles Perrin (Perry) Clausen

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Charles Perrin (Perry) Clausen

February 15, 1945 ~ February 2, 2020

Our beloved husband and father Charles Perrin (Perry) Clausen passed away due to complications from bile duct cancer. He was born in Chicago to Yvonne Isabel Perrin Clausen and Henry Clausen Jr. He was brought up on the San Francisco Peninsula and in Anchorage, Alaska and Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix in 1963. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah in 1968 after attending college on an ROTC scholarship.

Perry joined the Navy and became a fighter pilot. He was a naval aviator from 1968 to 1977 and was selected to be part of a group of four Navy pilots to fly a captured Soviet MiG fighter. He attended Naval Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) as the first “adversary pilot” student.

Perry became an airline pilot with Braniff in 1978. In August 1979, he met the love of his life, Mary Alice Roper. They married six months later on February 16, 1980. Perry met the second love of his life on February 27, 1988 when his son, Charles Perrin (CP) Clausen Jr., was born.

Perry was furloughed by Braniff in 1980 and took a job with the FAA. In 1982, he joined the staff of Aviation Week and Space Technology as the military editor in their Washington, D.C. bureau. In 1983, he returned to military service with the Air Force Reserve. Perry was hired by Southwest Airlines in 1983 as a commercial pilot and was still working for Southwest Airlines as a manager of air traffic systems when he passed.

Perry is survived by his loving wife, Mary, and son CP.

We want to thank Southwest Airlines for their amazing support throughout Perry’s illness, especially Rick Dalton. Thanks also to Dr. Mark Ott for giving us the last 12 years with Perry after he got bile duct cancer. We want to thank all the amazing doctors and medical personnel that helped Perry in the hospital and tried to give him another chance at life. You will never know how much we appreciate you for trying to save Perry’s life.

A funeral Mass for Perry was celebrated for the family on February 10 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. Committal at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Intermountain Medical Center Cancer Center. In lieu of a donation, please say a prayer.