William John Perkins
2008
William John Perkins Sr., 85, a retired editorial artist at three Washington newspapers, died April 28 of cancer at his home in Norfolk.
Mr. Perkins began his career in the late 1940s with the old Washington Times-Herald and later worked at the Washington Star and The Washington Post  before retiring in 1985. He drew maps and did page layouts, photo retouching and  occasional drawings and cartoons.
In addition to his work at the newspapers, he did freelance work for National  Geographic and other publications, as well as for a display at the 1964 New York  World's Fair.
Mr. Perkins was born in Washington, Ind., and moved to the District as a  child. He was a graduate of  Eastern High School. During World War  II, he served in a photo intelligence unit of the Army Air Forces in the  Pacific. After the war, he came to Washington and graduated from the Corcoran  School of Art.
His received an award from the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington  and was a member of the Newspaper Guild.
He was a longtime Arlington County resident and a member of the Dominion  Hills Civic Association. From 1985 to 2000, he lived in Duck, N.C.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Pat Perkins of Norfolk; three  children, Pam Palma of Arlington, William J. Perkins Jr. of Hampton, Va., and  Dana Graves of Fairfax County; and four grandchildren.
-- Matt Schudel