Tamara Rochelle Perkins

Tamara Perkins, 48, of Shelbyville, KY, passed away on October 6, 2020. She was a native of North Carolina and the wife of Cary Perkins of Shelbyville. She graduated Magna Cum Laude both as an undergraduate at East Carolina University and with an MBA from the University of Louisville.

In 1999, she was struck down with a golf-ball size malignant brain tumor and given a 20% chance to survive. She also had two tumors on her spine that were iradiated away. She endured all the radiation someone could medically be given, and a year later endured another brain surgery as well as two eye surgeries. She humbly overcame all of that and rebounded to enjoy a full life for the next 20 years. To everyone she met for the first time, she would witness to them about her tumor, her operations and radiation before pointing skyward to say: “I have a mighty God!” She suffered a massive stroke on September 20th, and Jesus took her home on October 6th.

She loved to dance and loved her family and friends, but most of all she loved Jesus. She was God’s own sweet Angel on earth. Everyone who knew her knew that, and no one who met her ever forgot her or forgot her name. On hearing the sad news, someone remarked, “The fragrance of Jesus is on so many people because Tamara touched their life,” and there is nothing that could be said about her that would have pleased her more. It was her mission in life. She is missed, and she will never be forgotten by those who knew and loved her.

Tamara is survived by her husband of 15 years, W. Cary Perkins of Shelbyville, KY; her mother, Shelba Gasperson of Clarksville, IN; two sisters, Dana (Jonathan) Stirman of Oviedo, FL, and Rachel Snyder of Salem, IN; three nieces, Alanna Snyder, Chloe Snyder and Grace Snyder of Salem, IN; and two nephews, Jonathan Stirman, Jr. and Noah Stirman of Oviedo, FL. She is also survived by her stepdaughter, Amanda Perkins Rucker and two step-grandsons, Gaven Rucker and Gage Rucker, all of Frankfort, KY: and a sister-and-brother-in-law, Mary and Craig Strautin of Fernandina Beach, FL.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, October 17th, 2020 at 11 AM at Arch L. Heady & Son at Westport Village, 7410 Westport Road in Louisville. Cremation was chosen. The family will receive friends on Friday, October 16, 2020, from 4 to 8 PM at the funeral home. The service on Saturday will also be live-streamed via the funeral home Facebook page for those wary of COVID-19. The live-stream will begin 10 minutes prior to service time. www.facebook.com/archlheady

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Franklin County Humane Society, 1401 Kentucky Ave, Frankfort, KY 40601 or online at https://www.fchsanimals.org/donate1.html