Australian Rugby has joined with RugbyWA and the Western Force community in mourning the loss of Rugby WA Chairman Dr Russel Perry.
Dr Perry passed away over the weekend at the age of 68, after a battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
Australian Rugby Union CEO, Bill Pulver:
“On behalf of the Australian Rugby community we pass on our thoughts and condolences to the RugbyWA community and to the Western Force during this difficult time.
“Dr Perry was not only a great contributor to Rugby in Western Australia but he was also a man of impeccable character. He lived Rugby’s values of passion, integrity, discipline, respect and team work.
“Dr Perry will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”
Throughout his life Dr Perry contributed greatly to Rugby. Over the past four decades, Perry was an integral part of the RugbyWA community having started as a player for University of Western Australia, where he went on to represent Western Australia at state level.
Perry continued to forge a path in Rugby, where he was appointed President of the WA Rugby Union Referees’ Association and also became a member of the National Referee Coaching Advisory Board.
He is a Life Member of RugbyWA, the University of Western Australia Rugby Club and the Western Australian Rugby Referees Association, and in 2012 received an Order of Australia for his services to Rugby, also recognising his service to the community in urban design, and to the education and training sector.
Dr Perry is also a highly regarded businessman, who was most recently appointed chairman of Stirling Capital and was the senior executive responsible for two award-winning property developments in Perth. He formally worked as a manager of Channel Seven (Perth) and was a one-time senior executive with Bond Media.
Rugby was very lucky to have someone of Dr Perry’s calibre working in the top levels of RugbyWA.
Dr Perry is survived by his wife, Felicity, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Philippa.
