Paul R. Perkins, 81, died October 20, 2018 after a 14 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Paul was born December 4, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas to father David J. Perkins and his mother Mabel Bills. His sister Mary and Gale Norman live in Springfield, Missouri. Growing up he lived where his family could find work in New Mexico and Cross Plains, Rising Star, Kermit, Midland, San Antonio, San Angelo and Pioneer, Texas. He had fond memories of “the old farm place” in Pioneer, Texas. He attended Rising Star High School and began working with his father delivering milk for Knowlton’s on a milk truck route at 15 years of age.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1956 when he was 19 years old. He was a Corporal in the Marine Corps when he broke his back in 1960 while working on telephone repair lines and was credited with 9 years of service in the Marine Corp with over 4 years of active duty before his injuries. After the Marine Corps he worked for Collins Radio, which became Rockwell International and later became Alcatel, where he retired after 27 years.
He married Donna Thompson on July 7, 1967 in Roy, Utah. The were both involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was sealed to his wife Donna in the Dallas, Texas Temple on October 22, 1999. They raised their family in Plano, Texas for 18 years before moving to Farmersville, Texas. They are blessed with two sons and a daughter; Robert Perkins, who only lived for 17 days after birth, Greg Perkins and Catherine Taylor of Merit, Texas and Jana Perkins of Farmersville, Texas.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his three brothers, David Jackson Perkins, Clifton Leon Perkins and Donald Lawson Perkins. He leaves behind his special grandchildren that he loved dearly. Charla Nalls of Klondike, Txas, Addyson and Rylan Perkins of Denison, Texas and Austin and Julia Taylor of Merit, Texas.
Viewing will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints located at 513 Sycamore Street, Farmersville, Texas 75442 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.
Funeral will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Thursday October 25, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Interment will be at the Plano Mutual Cemetery in Plano, Texas with gravesite dedication at 2:00 p.m. following the funeral.