Mildred A. Perkins

Mildred Adelaide Perkins, 86 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died at 2:00 AM, Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. She was born September 15, 1925 in Uska Bazar, Uttar Pradesh, India, the eighth child of nine and daughter of the late Rev. Harry Thomas Waggoner and Helen Beatrice Porter. She married Calvin R. Perkins, March 18, 1948 (he had served with the First Special Service Force in World War II); he preceded her in death April 9, 1993. Mildred married Henry F. DeAngelis, July 30, 1999 and he passed away February 14, 2002. Mildred had resided in Champion Township outside of Warren, Ohio from 1953 until she moved to Colorado in 2004.

Mildred’s first schooling was at the Queen’s Hill School in Darjeeling, India. She immigrated to the United States in November and December of 1936 on the British freighter MV Silvermaple (sunk by Nazi u-boat U-66 on February 26, 1944). Upon her arrival she attended the Westervelt School for Missionary Children in Columbia, South Carolina for four years, and then moved to North Dakota, graduating from Valley City High School at the age of 16. Following high school, Mildred attended North Central Bible Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri, and the Manitoba Commercial College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, graduating with a business degree.

Mildred taught private piano and organ lessons in her Champion home for 46 years from 1958 until 2004; in the height of this career, she taught up to 95 students a week. She played piano and organ for hundreds of weddings across northeastern Ohio, many funerals at Hall’s Funeral Home in Warren, and for church services in numerous churches throughout Trumbull County. She also worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (now MetLife) for 18 years, winning many awards including a trip to the President’s Conference in Monte Carlo in Europe.

Mildred was a member of the First Assembly of God church in Warren, Ohio; the First Assembly of God congregation was founded by her grandfather, Rev. John Henry Waggoner in 1914. Her parents had been medical missionaries with the Assemblies of God, operating a leper colony for 34 years in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northeast India, close to the border of Nepal.

Mildred is survived by her two sons, Albert Warren Perkins of Wesley Chapel, Florida, and Raymond Calvin Perkins, Jr. of Colorado Springs, Colorado; eight grandchildren, Matthew Perkins of Nashville, TN; Samuel Perkins of Jacksonville, FL; Amy Huyck of Zion, IL; Joshua Ben Perkins of Milwaukee, WI; Rachel Edwards of Fountain, CO; Chris McCleave of Aurora, CO; Rusty McCleave of Aurora, CO; Allyson Soldani of Monument, CO; fifteen great-grandchildren (Charlie Isaac Perkins, Jonah Matthew Perkins, Zora Frehiwot Perkins, Allie Faye Perkins, Jack Samuel Perkins, Michael Austin Huyck, Savannah Huyck, LeAnn Huyck, Caleb Ae Edwards, Zaccheus Luke Sellier, Ethan Ben Edwards, Alan Calvin Edwards, Emma Rae Soldani, Anthony Paul (TJ) Soldani, and Sophie Rose McCleave.); two sisters, Beatrice Brubaker of Springfield, MO, and Doris Powlison of Portland, OR; one brother, Donald Waggoner of Springfield, MO. Preceding her in death were husbands Calvin R. Perkins and Henry DeAngelis; brothers, Willard Waggoner (Idaho) and Homer Waggoner (California); sisters, Lois Waggoner (India), Almeta Christiansen (Florida, formerly of Ecuador), and Margaret Waggoner (India).

Services will be held Saturday morning, 9:30 AM, November 5, 2011 at Carl W. Hall Funeral Home, 533 North Park Avenue, Warren, Ohio. Friends may call Friday evening, 5:00 to 8:00 PM, November 4, 2011, or from 8:30 to 9:30 AM Saturday prior to the services. Interment will be at Champion Township Cemetery alongside her husband Calvin and her mother Helen Waggoner. In lieu of flowers, the family desires contributions be made to the “Mildred Waggoner Perkins Memorial Fund” to support several schools in Darjeeling, India where Mildred first attended school. They can be mailed to: Mission of Mercy, 15475 Gleneagle Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 (donations are tax deductible).

Arrangements under the direction of Swan-Law Funeral Directors, Colorado Springs, CO.