Mary Ellen Perkins

She went to a small school in Red Oak Iowa, graduated from Strahan High School in 1957 and spent two years at Simpson college in Indianola, Iowa, majoring in Home Economics. She has four siblings, Dan Shaw and his wife, Carolyn of New Hampton, Iowa, Stanley Shaw and wife, Laura of Blair Nebraska, Arlene Schulte of Omaha Nebraska and Grant Shaw and Kim French of Omaha, Nebraska.

She met her husband, Ron Perkins, when she accidentally wrote to another person named Ron Perkins. Although Ron didn’t know Mary Ellen, he was intrigued so he wrote back to her, and the rest is history. They were married on June 4th, 1960. They have two children, Cheryl Louise Perkins Etter and Glenn Allen Perkins.

They settled In Liberal, Kansas, of Wizard of Oz, yellow brick road fame before moving to Fort Worth, Texas, Mobile, Alabama, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and then retiring in Mobile.

Mary Ellen was active in her Neighborhood Garden Club, Rescue the Animals, Saving the Donkeys, Senior Days at church and a loyal and beloved member of the Regency Church of Christ.

Mary Ellen is survived by her two children; Cheryl Etter of Abilene Texas and her husband, Eric; children, Elizabeth Koelbl and her husband, Stephen Koelbl of Massena, NY, Samuel Etter of Abilene, Texas and Ethan Andrew Etter of Abilene, Texas; three great grandchildren, Felicity, Anastasia and Roy Justin and Glenn Perkins of Mobile, Alabama, who was in Mary Ellen’s constant presence.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron Perkins, her father, Dwight Shaw, and mother, Opal Wendt.

Go home and hug your loved ones and your pets! If you would like, donations can be made to your local animal shelter or to the Regency Church of Christ.

We thank Regency Church of Christ and all their members and Allan Eldridge who prayed with her everyday of her sickness.

Services will be held on Friday, September 5, 2025 from Pine Crest Funeral Home in Mobile, AL with a visitation from 9:00 am until 10:00 am, followed by a chapel service at 10:00 am. Committal will follow at Pine Crest Cemetery Mausoleum.