William E. “Bill” Pero, WHC Collections M3 1978-011-0001

William E. Pero

Job Title(s)

Shipping Clerk, Partner in Retail Store

Dates of Employment

c. 1932-1943

Last Name  Pero 
First Name  William        “Bill” 
Middle Initial  Edward 
Born  12 Dec 1915 in Salem, OR 
Home Addresses 

(1929-1934) 

 1460 D St in Salem, OR 
Died  22 Jul 1994 in Salem, OR 
Place Buried  Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, OR   
Spouse  Maxine Cosette Hill 
Date of Marriage  1 Jul 1938 in Salem, OR 
Children  Jerry L., James W., and Judi L.  (and Johnny who died in 1948 at 18 mo.) 
Dates of Employment  1932 – 1943 
Job(s)  Weaver, Shipping Clerk, Partner in Retail Store 
Story  William Pero worked for TKWM from 1932 to approximately 1943 as a shipping clerk and later partner in the retail store. He was the third generation of his family to work for the mill. 

William “Bill” Pero was born 12 Dec 1915 in Salem, OR to Edward Herbert and Grace [Lansing] Pero. He was a lifelong resident of Salem, OR and the third generation of his family to work at the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. His parents bought a house at 1460 D St. After father Ed became foreman of the finishing department at TKWM. Bill lived in this home for the rest of his life.  

Father Ed Pero died suddenly at the age of 58, on 26 Sep 1936. Bill was 21 years old at the time. His mother Grace remarried Dec 1937 to Stewart McFee and moved to Brownsville, OR. On 1 July 1938 Bill married Maxine Cosette Hill in Salem, OR. They met at Salem High School. They were the parents of four children.  

According to his obituary, Bill was a partner in the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill retail store at one time, and had business transactions and connections to the Portland textile industry.   

Bill died 22 July 1994 in Salem, from causes incident to cancer. He is buried in Belcrest Memorial Park near his parents. Maxine passed away 30 November 2008 and was also buried in Belcrest Memorial Park. 
   
References 
Name  Remarks 
Census  1920 William Pero 4. Born about 1916 in Oregon. Home Salem Fairgrounds – Farm. E H Pero 42, Grace Pero 32, William 4.  

1930 William E Pero 14. Born about 1916 in Oregon. Single. Son of HOH. Residence:  1460 D St, Salem, OR. Edward H Pero 50, Grace Pero 43, William E Pero 14. 

1940     William Edward Pero 24. Born about 1916 in Oregon. HOH. Married. Residence: 1065 N. 14th St. Salem, OR. Occupation: Shipping Clerk, Woolen Mill. Maxine Pero 22. James William Pero 7/12. 
City Directories 

(Salem unless otherwise noted) 

 1932 William Pero. Student. 1460 D St   

1934 William Pero. Student. 1460 D St   

1935 William E Pero. Res 1460 D. Weaver TKWM 

1971    William E Pero (Maxine C) Res 460 D St. NE 

1975    William E Pero (Maxine C) Res 460 D St. NE 
Find a Grave  William Edward Pero. Birth: 12 Dec 1915. Death: 22 Jul 1994 (aged 78) Marion County, OR. Burial: Belcrest Memorial Park Salem, Marion County, OR. Memorial ID: 172063954 

Maxine Cosette Pero. Birth: 20 Jul 1917. Death: 30 Nov 2008 (aged 91). Burial: Belcrest Memorial Park Salem, Marion County, OR. Memorial ID: 172063940 
Newspapers.com  Oregon Statesman 23 Jul 1964 p 13. William Pero Car Accident 

Statesman Journal 23 Jul 1994 p 6. William Pero Obituary 

Statesman Journal 4 Dec 2008 p 16 Maxine Pero Obituary 
WHC Materials  M3 1966-001               Mill Records 

M3 1978-004-0004     Photo 

M3 1987-011-0001     Photo 

M3 2007-001-0002     Letter 

M3 1994-016-0015     Oral History (Bill Pero) 

M3 1994-016-0036     Oral History (Mary White) 

2015.027.0001             Oral History (Jerry Pero) 

M3 1994-016-0048      Oral History (George Noack) 

M3 1994-016-0021      Oral History (Larry Rich)