Dry Creek Valley resident Ed Perotti passed away “peacefully” a couple of days before Christmas at the age of 91, “after a short illness,” according to an obituary posted earlier this month. He was born at Healdsburg Hospital in the summer of 1933 and died at Healdsburg Hospital in the winter of 2024. “Ed never strayed far from his beloved Sonoma County,” his obituary says. And just six months before he died, in June of last year, Ed saw his home threatened by the Point Fire outside Healdsburg. He was one of the few bold West Dry Creek Road residents who stayed put while the fire pressed toward the valley from Lake Sonoma, according to the Press Democrat.
“This is my home,” he told reporters during the fire. “My wife died here, and I figured if it’s my time to go, I’ll be here with her.” His son Bruce added: “We asked my father, ‘Do you want to come to one of our houses?’ And his exact words were, ‘Hell no.’ When he says that, that’s all.” Here are some more details on Ed’s illustrious life, from his obituary:
Ed was born to Mary and Philip Perotti, attended schools in Geyserville, and was a strong athlete in high school. He married the love of his life, Evelyn, in 1953. He served time in the army in Washington state, starting his young family during that time. Following his military service, he, Evie, and Denise (daughter) returned to Geyserville. The family grew with the births of Bruce and Diane. In 1960, Ed and family moved to the long-standing homestead in Dry Creek Valley.
Ed had a long career at CalTrans, retiring early to run the ranch. He was never afraid of meaningful work. Not long ago, Ed was still able to out-work his kids on numerous physical tasks.
In his younger days, Ed was a proud baseball player for the Healdsburg Prune Packers. Later, he enjoyed playing adult-league baseball. For many years, he was an avid hunter. He enjoyed visits from folks and he loved talking about the “Old Days.” He valued family and friends above all else.
