Donald Perkins

DONALD I. PERKINS, 92 of Arcola, IL passed away at 10:36 P.M. Sunday, July 12, 2009 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, IL

Funeral services were held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main Street in Arcola, IL. Rev. John Higgins officiated. Burial was in the Arcola Cemetery. Visitation was from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at the funeral home.

Don was born September 15, 1916 in Deland, IL. He was a son of Allen James and Anna Marie (Alhrich) Perkins. He married Mary Elizabeth Wright on May 29, 1937 in Champaign, IL. She passed away on August 26, 2008.

Survivors include one son, Billy Gene Perkins and his wife, Lucy, of Mattoon, IL; two daughters, Donna Jean Taylor and her husband, Ronald, of Humboldt, IL and Ruth Ann Yoder and her husband, Allen, of Arcola, IL; eight grandchildren, Deena Hamilton and her husband, Warren, of Mattoon, IL, Sheila Wilson and her husband, Dirk, of Mattoon, IL, Cathy Taylor of Urbana, IL, Lisa Tomas and her husband, Dale, of Humboldt, IL, Brenda Scribner and her husband Dave, of Bruce, IL, Ronda Mesa and her husband, Pablo, of Plainfield, IL, Jason Yoder and his wife, Nicki, of Lexington, SC and Lindsay Yoder of Chicago, IL; twelve great-grandchildren; one brother, Jerry Joe Perkins and his wife Susan of Nashville, IN; one sister, Helen Marie Burwell and her husband Bill of Urbana, IL and longtime companion, Toby the dog.

His parents, his wife and three brothers, Paul, Burlie, and Linden Perkins preceded him in death.

Don worked for Factory Sales in Arcola in the 1930s. He hauled Coal for Horton Grain Co. of Arcola for three years and worked for Bolin’s Welding Shop in Arcola, for seventeen years. He was a carpenter for Clapp and Ghere Construction for five years and was employed at USI for fifteen years. He retired from Rockome Gardens in 1998 with over 18 years of service.

Don was a member of the Arcola Free Methodist Church, Woodmen of the World, and had been a member of the Moose in Mattoon.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, hunting mushrooms and spending time with family and friends.

Memorials were made to the Arcola Free Methodist Church.