George Perry, 78, a Renton City Council member for 16 years who ran for mayor in the 1980s, died at his Renton home Oct. 7, 2010.

Perry served on the City Council from 1964 to 1980. He ran for mayor in 1987, when Earl Clymer was elected to the first of his two terms as mayor.

Perry’s funeral is 10 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 14) at Greenwood Funeral Home. A viewing is today (Wednesday) noon to 5 p.m.

Perry was born Oct. 15, 1931, on Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. His family moved to London when he was 8 years. He was in London during World War II. He immigrated to the United States in 1948 and was a decorated soldier in the U.S. Army.

He married Dolores Jean Moran on Oct. 16, 1954, in Honolulu; they moved to Renton in 1956.

As a City Council member, he crusaded for the 911 emergency system. He helped develop what would become the Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park on Lake Washington. The Renton Jaycees awarded him with their Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding community service.

He retired from Boeing in 1992 after working in the 777 division for 38 years.

He is survived by daughters Gigi McCormick, Deanna Sader and Sue LaFord; son Steven Perry, and four grandsons. He was preceded in death by his wife and daughter Cindy.