Betty Perkins

Betty Perkins passed away on May 6, 2015, at the Meeker Nursing Center. She was born on Christmas Day, 1916, in the Tennessee River community of Claude in Benton County, Tennessee. She was the youngest of three children born to Claude and Flora (Evans) Farmer. When Betty was three, the Farmer family relocated to Oklahoma, first to Stuart and later to Holdenville. During her teenage years, Betty grew to the height of 5’2” and was a star basketball player along with her best friend, Bertha Orr. Betty graduated from Holdenville High School in 1934 and went to work at JC Penney as a salesperson. Betty met the love of her life when she and her mother picked up a young hitchhiking WWII soldier named Herald Perkins. They were married January 14, 1945, in Waurika, Oklahoma. Herald worked as a seismolologist and with Betty by his side, they pulled a silver bullet all over the northern United States, moving every 3 months. In 1946 they were blessed with a son, Philip, whom Betty loved with all her heart. In 1962, Betty and Herald gave up their nomadic lifestyle and moved back to Oklahoma. Betty went to work at the Penn Square Montgomery Ward and worked there until retirement. When Betty lost Herald in 1997, she promptly moved to Las Vegas to be near her sister and niece. She had a great time at the casinos and socializing at the Senior Community where she lived. She moved back to Oklahoma in 2004. Most recently she lived at Brookhaven Mansions in Norman where she enjoyed playing Bingo, spending time with friends Mary, Francis and Gary, and getting dressed up in her Alfred Dunner outfits and Hawaiian necklaces that were gifts from her beloved niece, Helen. Betty loved a variety of things: Chihuahuas, flowers, peacocks, golf, Bingo, dogs, cats and all animals. Betty also loved comfort food including bacon, bar-b-que ribs, chocolates, pickles, foot-long chili dogs, powdered sugar donuts, banana pudding, Dorothy’s coconut cream pie, boiled eggs, Fritos, hot peppers, white bread and anything fried, giving proof that longevity is attributed to good genetics and not eating habits. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, husband Herald Perkins, sister and brother-in-law, Ruby and Lloyd Robinson, brother George Farmer, niece Mary Sue Hayes, and great-niece Angela Mayfield. Betty is survived by her son Philip (Deborah) Perkins, grandsons James (Shonya) Perkins, David (Heather) Perkins and Brian (Elizabeth) Jones, great-grandsons Levi, Rylee, Elijah and Jacob Perkins and Dustin Sanders, great-granddaughters Teresa (Jessie) Palone, April Sanders, Olivia, Sophia and Lydia Jones, great-great-granddaughters Tia, Jazman and Jessie Palone, nieces Helen (Seaynoah) Mayfield and Lou Anne Blackburn, sisters-in-law May Lou Farmer and Wanda Burks, and several great-nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the Meeker Nursing Center staff who took such wonderful care of Betty in her final months. Graveside services will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 2015 at Arlington Memory Gardens.