Harold Denny Perkins

Harold was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in KC, MO on April 9, 1950, during a heavy snowstorm. His parents Ed and Jo Perkins welcomed their second child naming him after Ed’s brother Harold, a Gunner in an A26 Bomber. He was shot down December 23, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge. For a middle name, Ed chose the ancestral name of Denny.

Harold grew up in St. Therese Little Flower Parish, attending school, receiving sacraments, being a Boy Scout, playing with all the neighborhood kids, bowling, playing chess, and being a big brother for the growing family. He graduated from Hogan High School in 1968 and enlisted in the US Army.

In the Army, Harold chose his specialty training as a Combat Medic and earned an Expert Field Medical award. His various medic assignments started stateside at an Army Base Emergency Room. Soon his entire platoon of medics was waiting to deploy to Vietnam the next day when hostilities broke out between USSR and Czechoslovakia. They were sent instead to Germany where Harold was Head of the Emergency Room and Head Medic for General Patton’s former Army unit.

Harold was discharged in 1971, but as was often the case at that time unfortunately, returning soldiers did not receive any type of welcome back.

Harold worked as a machinist while attending Metropolitan Community College earning an Associate Degree. But with recurring personality issues, he sought help at the VA Hospital and was diagnosed with the mental disorder Paranoia Schizophrenia. Harold did not understand how the prescription medication worked and stopped the medication when he felt better. As a result, life did not get easier, and his actions were often misunderstood. Deciding to move to Roanoke, Virginia Harold worked as a machinist and continued medical treatment at Roanoke’s VA Hospital.

Finally, a knowledgeable VA psychologist with his compassionate approach was able to help Harold with his disability. With his medication under control, Harold then worked as an orderly at the VA hospital enjoying the interpersonal interactions with the patients. As Harold’s mental health improved, he was enjoying his life in the Roanoke Mountains, but his physical health deteriorated. Harold was preceded in death by his parents Ed and Jo and sister Kathy. He is survived by his siblings Karen (Gary), Kevin (JoAnn), and Ed (Colleen) nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews.

It is our hope as a family that Harold’s story encourages you work to understand mental disorders and offer comfort, hope and compassion to those with mental illness.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to The Wounded Warrior Project @ www.woundedwarriorproject.org, there is a Donate button to donate online or an option to send a check.