Mr. Mario Lavelle Perkins

Texas. Mario loved his family and friends. He especially loved and spending time with his brother Caleb and his sister

Chaille. He was affectionately called ”Money” or “Marney” by family and close friends. Mario was baptized at an

early age at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church where his parents were members.

Mario’s formal education began in Missouri City, Texas where he attended Ridgegate Elementary School, then one

year at Missouri City Middle School. After his father accepted a job in Saudi Arabia, Mario completed 8th and 9th

grade at Dharan Middle School. He began high school at Choate Rosemary Hall Boarding School in Wallingford,

Connecticut. That acceptance to Choate was a proud moment in his life because of the thousand plus applicants from

around the world, he was among the chosen to attend. His final year was completed in Texas at Jersey Village High

School in CyFair ISD. Mario began college at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas then later

transferred to Southwest Texas (now Texas State University) where he received a degree in Marketing and Finance.

Early in Mario’s life, his father played a key role in nurturing his love for reading, fiction and non-fiction books which

led to Mario’s passion in extensive research and learning particularly regarding Black History Experiences having

toured Northern Africa with his parents.

Mario was always creating games and game boards testing/sharing them with close friends. During his teen years, he

began his quest for designing and inventing a watch that was later patented well before the modern-day smart watch.

He was asked to present his watch design to members of the research departments of Texas Southern University and

Rice University. While living in Saudi Arabia, his father contacted a watch company in the United States to build a

replica of Mario’s invention. A picture of the watch is included in this program along with his patent.

Mario excelled in baseball while in Saudi Arabia. He and his team won their division and moved on to participated in

the 1986 Junior Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mario has traveled extensively alongside his family, gaining firsthand explosive to diverse cultures and customs across

countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and various states in the U.S.

Upon completing his college education, Mario began his professional career in the finance department at Foley’s

Department Store in Houston, Texas. After a couple of years, he accepted a position in New Jersey at one of the

leading marketing firms. Following 911, he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, and worked in the financial sector at a

non-profit organization. Mario met several friends as well as his future wife Sandra while in New Orleans. Years later,

he moved to Lighthouse Point, Florida, and married Sandra. Fifteen family members and friends flew to Florida for

Mario’s wedding at an intimate garden setting. His wife noted that Mario, being an innovator, he developed an app

for the Apple Store called Orbit Tracker Earth. He also had a Tik Tok channel and shop focused on indigenous art and

history.

Some of Mario’s hobbies included BBQing, watching sports, of course reading, attending Mardi Gras parades and

following the Mardi Gras Indians, developing his playlist of deep soul cuts from 1960-1985, visiting prehistoric

mound sites and returning to South Florida to visit close friends. Mario is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in which

he was very proud.

Mario was very proud and supportive of his loving wife Sandra’s achievements and academic accomplishments. And,

he adored their two dogs, KoKo and OG who are also mourning his absence.

Mario leaves to cherish his memories his devoted and loving wife, Sandra; his loving mother, Molly Perkins; his

loving brother and sister, Caleb Gibrahn Perkins and Chaille Keronica Perkins; his aunties, Mercedes Beatty (Robert),

Diane Perkins, Kathryn Perkins; uncles, Fred Perkins, Jeffrey Perkins; godmother, Dr. Jacqueline Horton-Cobbin;

cousins/like brothers, Longen Reece Broussard(Stacey), Marlon Sylvester(Mary), Charles Horton, Jr.(Toni); and a

host of family members, cousins and close friends.