Virginia Mae Perkins

Virginia Mae Perkins went home to the Lord on November 5, 2016. Born on October 30, 1935 in Miami, OK, to George and Regina Burke, Virginia was orphaned at age 6 and sent to live with an aunt in Kansas. As a result, she and her brothers Dale, Jim, and Gerald were split up and had minimal contact for many years.

Growing up in McCune, KS, Virginia was always part of the choir. In high school she had a part-time job singing at local weddings. It was in McCune, through her close friend Katherine Perkins, that she met her future husband, John. They were married in Parsons, KS in 1954 and lived in Kansas for the next eight years.

In May of 1962, Virginia and John and their five children moved to a ranch just outside of Lincoln, CA, where they would plant their family roots. Virginia was a homemaker and stay-at-home mom until her youngest was in school. She then started the first of her various jobs that always seemed to involve caring for others. She was a Psychiatric Tech at DeWitt State Hospital in Auburn; a nurse assistant at Dr. Dubin's office in Lincoln; then she started her favorite job, which was working with and around the students of Western Placer Unified School district. She started there as a nurse's assistant, and later spent many years as attendance clerk at Glen Edwards Middle School.

Virginia was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church for 54 years. She served as lector, money counter, and a singer in the choir. She was also in several Service-oriented groups that raised money or collected food and clothing for local charities. As a member of the Rosary Guild she made thousands of rosaries that were sent around the world, to be distributed to the poor.

Her family was very important to Virginia. Being around her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren highlighted her last few years. Last week she celebrated her 81st birthday with 33 members of her family. The event was punctuated by the surprise appearance of her surviving brother, Jim, and his daughter and son-in-law, all from Oklahoma.

Virginia is survived by her husband of 62 years, John; sons Dean (Kathy) and Mark (Nancy), daughter Rhonda (David), and daughter-in-law Lorri. Predeceasing her were sons Duane and Russell. She is also survived by her brother Jim Burke and his wife Ruth, sisters-in-law Fern Burke, Sheila Moura, and Katherine Allen, as well as brother-in-law Neil Perkins. She leaves 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 22 nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lincoln, at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 12. Immediately after that, the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. at the same location. This will be followed by a reception.

Arrangements under the direction of Lincoln Funeral Home, Lincoln, CA.