Charles Perrin (Perry) Clausen Obituary (1945

Our beloved husband and father 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 in San Francisco Peninsula, Anchorage Alaska and Phoenix Arizona. He graduated from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix in 1963. He graduated with a B.S. from the University of Utah in 1968 after attending college on an ROTC scholarship. He was active in Sigma Nu Fraternity, wrote for the Daily Utah Chronicle and was on the Lacrosse Team. Perry joined the Navy and became a fighter pilot. He was a Naval Aviator from 1968-77. Selected for a group of 4 Navy pilots to fly a captured Soviet MiG fighter. Evaluated the Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat in Japan in 1976. He attended Naval Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) as the first “Adversary Pilot” student. When reassigned to his regular commission in 1977 he was current in seven airplanes. Retired Fighter Pilot. Flew 4500 hours in 8 different fighters. 180 carrier landings. The fighters were the A-4, F-4, F4J, F4B, MiG-25 Foxbat, F-14, F4D and the F-16A. Perry became an airline pilot with Braniff in 1978. In August 1979 Perry met the love of his life, Mary Alice Roper. They married 6 months later on February 16th 1980. They had a long and magical marriage. Perry met the second love of his life on February 27th 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 Perry joined the staff of Aviation Week and Space Technology as the Military Editor in their Washington DC bureau. In 1983 LTC Clausen returned to military service with the Air Force Reserve (that’s where the F4D and the F16A were flown). 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 accumulated over 20,000 flight hours over the span of his career. 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. We want to thank 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 Monday February 10th at 11:00 am at St. Ambrose Catholic Church 1975 South 2300 East. Committal at Mt. Calvary Cemetery 4th Ave. T Street. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Intermountain Medical Center Cancer Center. Google: “Intermountain Medical Center Murray donations”, select the website, when the page opens just click on the donation tab and fill in the information. In lieu of a donation, please say a prayer.