Mildred Frances Perkins, 84, passed away Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at her residence with her family by her side. She fought a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She never lost her determination, wit and joy of life. She was born and raised in Waterloo, Ala., the daughter of John F. and Myrtle Marler Murphy. She graduated from Waterloo, Ala. with the class of 1948. Mildred married her high school sweetheart, Jim Perkins in 1951. Jim enlisted in the Air Force that same year and she began her adventure as an Air Force wife to Jim and mother to their two children, Deborah and Roger. They traveled extensively for their twenty-one years in the military. Mildred made a home for her family wherever the Air Force took them. They lived in IL, GA, NC, CA, TN, and FL, as well as, Izmir, Turkey. They retired from the Air Force in 1971 and moved back home to Florence. Mildred worked at the Old Humana Hospital in Florence as a Physical Therapy Assistant retiring after twenty years. She was a faithful member of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church and served as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher and sang in the choir. Mildred was a strong fiercely independent woman who loved the Lord, her family, and her many friends. She loved music and instilled that love in her children. She loved life and all the joys and challenges it brought her way.
Visitation will be Friday, September 5, 2014 from 10 – 11 a.m. at Greenview Funeral Home. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. in Greenview Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Dewayne McDuff officiating. Burial will follow in Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Perkins is survived by her husband of sixty-three years, Jim Perkins; daughter, Deborah Locklear (Dennis Glenn); son, Roger Perkins (Charlotte); grandchildren, Keith Locklear, Anthony Balentine, Jessica Harris, and Jared Ellis; great-grandchildren, Sean, Elizabeth and Chase Balentine, and Paisley Harris; sisters, Louise Clemons (Jack), and Mary Farley; brothers, Floyd Murphy, Earl Murphy (Toy), Raymond Murphy (Barbara), John Murphy (Sue); many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Hospice of the Shoals and Gentiva Home Health for their loving care and support. We are forever grateful to special caregivers, Brittney Dowdy, Jean Marie Siegel, John Passarella, and Julie West. You brought sunshine into our lives and love into our home as you cared for us all.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Cumberland Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund or Parkinson’s Disease at pdf.org.
