Deborah K Perkins

Deborah K. Perkins, 67, of Erie, Colorado passed away peacefully at her home on December 14, 2019.Debby was born at St. Anthony's hospital in Denver, Colorado to Walter and Florence (Pearce) Collinsworth on March 15th, 1952. She was a descendant of the Pearce family, who homesteaded in the Golden Gate Canyon area. Debby graduated in 1970 from Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado. In June of 1974, she married Ronald D. Legler in Lakewood, Colorado. They moved to Mesa, Arizona where their twin sons were born in February of 1978. Later, they would separate and Debby returned back to Colorado to be closer to her family. She married Jack L. Perkins on May 4th, 1984 in Golden, Colorado. The couple made their home in Erie, Colorado.Growing up, Debby was an avid rodeo competitor in breakaway roping, goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing and several other events. She won numerous Little Britches Rodeos included the National Little Britches Finals. In 1991 and 1993 she was the Longmont Old Timers Rodeo Club barrel racing champion. Debby went on to qualify for the National Barrel Horse Association world championships in 1999. Her drive for competitiveness was unmatched and carried down to her sons and grandchildren.Over the years, she was a member of numerous rodeo and horse associations including the PRCA, WPRA, CPRA, Little Britches, 4-H Rawhiders, High School Rodeo, Longmont Old Timer Rodeo Association, NBHA, AQHA, Girls Rodeo Association and Colorado Girls Barrel Racing Association. She had a lifelong passion for raising and training horses, which she enjoyed until her final days. We can find peace knowing that she has been happily reunited with many of those amazing animals that had passed before her.Prior to Debby's retirement, she worked for Front Range Ribbons & Trophy in Erie, Colorado making awards for horse shows and rodeo events. Additionally, she worked for Veris, Inc. in Niwot, Colorado in accounting as a bookkeeper.Debby devoted her life to being a Mother and Nana to her boys and grandchildren. Everything she did was with the intention to better their lives and support them. They were always her number one priority and she was their biggest champion in everything they did. She will be remembered as being a permanent fixture in the stands cheering at her son's rodeos and her grandson's sporting events. The love and support she had for them was genuine and will never be forgotten.Debby is preceded in death by her father, Walter Collinsworth, and her mother, Florence (Pearce) Collinsworth, whom she shared memories about daily.Debby is survived by her husband, Jack Perkins of Erie, Colorado; her children, Jason and Kari (Thorson) Legler of Eaton, Colorado and Justin Legler of Florence, Arizona; her sisters, Sherry and Paul Geiger of Loveland, Colorado and Karen Griess of Aurora, Colorado; and her six grandchildren, Brayden and Cade Legler of Eaton, Colorado and Coltin, Carlie, Cylee and Cooper Legler of Florence, Arizona.Cremation has taken place and at her request, her ashes will be spread in the mountains where she most enjoyed spending her time.