Perry, a professor of journalism and mass communication and founder of on-campus radio station KACU, died March 25, 1977, when a plane in which he and two others were traveling crashed over the Caribbean island of Martinique while they were researching possible locations for a shortwave radio tower.
His widow encouraged WCB to persevere through some tough times, and today it reaches billions of people through 20 hours of broadcasting each day in Chinese, Russian and English.
Earline’s quiet philanthropy and faithful influence as a WCB board member helped Abilene Christian University decide to honor her with the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award at Commencement on May 11, 2013.
The Outlive Your Life award is named for its first recipients – Dale and Rita Brown – and takes it name from the 2010 book by Max Lucado (’77). The award recognizes all types of servant-leadership exhibited by friends or alumni of the university.
Earline is the mother of three ACU grads: David (’73), Susan (’77) and Greg Perry (’84). Three of her four grandchildren also graduated from Abilene Christian.
In our Fall-Winter issue this December, look for a profile of her work and WCB’s influence on global missions.