Ralph Matthew Perhac

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he spent his first 10 years in small towns in the Northeast. Following his father's death in 1938, the family moved to New York City where he lived for the next 11 years. There, he attended Columbia University, where he was on the wrestling team and received a B.A. degree in 1949. He went on to Cornell University where he received a Master's degree.

Dr. Perhac's working career began after leaving Cornell. He first worked as a sampler and mining engineer for Anaconda Copper Mining Co. in Butte, MT and Darwin, CA. Next he served as District Geologist in Albuquerque, NM for the US Atomic Energy Commission and then spent two years in Australia as an exploration geologist for Caltex Oil.

Returning to academia, he took a Ph.D. in geochemistry at the University of Michigan and then was employed as a Senior Research Geochemist by Exxon in its production research laboratory in Houston, TX. While with Exxon he undertook special studies in New Orleans, LA. His final service with Exxon, where he was a Professor of Geochemistry in Knoxville, TN for the next seven years. That was followed by two years with the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC where he was Director for the program on the environmental effects of energy.

The last step in Dr. Perhac's career was 15 years in Palo Alto, CA where he was Director of Environmental Research for the Electric Power Research Institute. He finally retired from full-time work in late 1990 and settled in Raleigh, NC. In 2021, he moved to Seekonk, MA to be closer to his wife's family.

In addition to his full-time employment, Dr. Perhac was a lunar investigator at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Apollo 12 mission. He was also an advisor to the California Air Resources Board, to the Southern Appalachia Mountain multi state research program and to the 1988 World Energy Conference. He also served throughout the 1980s, on appointment by President Reagan, as advisor to the US acid rain program. During his professional career, he authored many scientific papers.

Dr. Perhac was an avid swimmer who rarely missed a day of swimming. For many years, he was a volunteer Water Safety Instructor Trainer for the Red Cross. He was also a swimming and diving judge for the Southeastern and Pac 10 conferences, as well as a judge for the 1972 women's olympic swimming training camp.

In 1950 he married Avis Constance Main with whom he had two children. Fifteen years following the death of his wife, he married his present spouse, Raquel Urania Goulart. Dr. Perhac is survived by his dear loving wife, Raquel, his son Dr. Ralph M. Perhac, Jr. (wife Diane), and his daughter Janet Perhac. Stepdaughter Lola Furtado (husband Lenny) and her two daughters. Other surviving kin include four grandchildren and several cousins.

Dr. Perhac was a devout Christian, an elder for the Presbyterian Church, was a loyal member of Raleigh's St. Philip Luther Church and a current member of the Seekonk Congregational Church.

Funeral services will be private. Obituary written by Dr. Perhac.