Gerald “Jerry” C. Perkins, 90, of San Antonio, TX, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, July 31, 2022 after a short illness. Born in Ft. Wayne, IN on January 6, 1932, he was raised in New Haven, IN, and was the oldest of five siblings. Jerry graduated from Ft. Wayne’s Concordia Lutheran HS in 1950 and was a devout Lutheran all his life. Soon after high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army for the Korean War, and chose to make the Army a career, serving for over 30 years, and retiring as a SGM in 1982. During his years in the Army, he was stationed in Hawaii, Texas, Germany, Vietnam, Washington DC, and Korea, as well as numerous other short postings. He met his beloved late wife, Susan, in 1958 while at Ft. Sam Houston. She had served in the Women’s Army Corps, and he was as proud of her service as he was of his own. After retiring from the Army, he took a job with the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier, a position he proudly held for 23 years, before fully retiring in 2005. He was blessed with good health and enjoyed being active, running five miles a day well into his fifties, and having a walking route for most of the years he was a letter carrier. Even until very recently, he would go for long walks near his home.
Jerry will be remembered by all for his humble and dedicated desire to help others and for the ways in which he did so.One of the things he most loved doing was donating lifesaving blood and plasma, which he began doing when he was eighteen, continuing through to the month before he passed. He is amongst the top blood donors worldwide and had received recognitions and awards, but it speaks volumes that none of those honors made him as happy as when he would get a two or three way split on a plasma donation, which meant that 2-3 people would be helped through that one donation. In addition to the blood donations, Gerald donated to multiple charities handpicked by him (when either a family member or friend suffered an affliction he would donate to a charity that was working towards a cure for that affliction )as well as supporting the Lutheran world ministries ,Concordia Lutheran seminary ,wounded warriors and other organizations that support veterans just to name a few .He was especially devoted to his church of over 40 years, Shephard of the Hills Lutheran Church, San Antonio, TX. He also will be remembered for the tireless and loving care he took of his wife as she suffered from and eventually succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. It’s telling that even after she had forgotten most things, she would look at her husband and say, “He’s a good man, a very good man.” Now, as we mourn his passing and feel the heavy loss, our pain is lessened and we honor him with pride because it was certainly true - he was a good man, a very good man & will always always be remembered as a humble man of quiet strength & devotion to god ,his country ,his family and to the betterment of humanity as a whole
Jerry is predeceased by his beloved wife of almost 60 years, Susan; parents, Charles and Della Perkins; brother, Clairon Perkins; sister-in-law, Pat (Warren) Perkins, and brother-in-law, Tom (Shirley) Carman. He is survived by his daughters, Karen Schoolcraft and Sharon Perkins of San Antonio, TX; son and daughter-in-law, Gerald “Jerry” C. Perkins, Jr. and Lara Perkins, of Las Vegas, NV; grandson, Raymond Perkins, of San Antonio, TX; granddaughter, Novia Perkins, and grandson, August Perkins, of Las Vegas, NV; great-grandsons, Simon Perkins and Lincoln Perkins, of San Antonio, TX; brother, Warren Perkins, of New Haven, IN; sisters, Bonnie (Glen) Rinard of New Haven, IN, and Shirley Carman of Groveland, CA; brother-in-law, Pat (Patty) West of Poteet, TX; sisters-in-law, Jane (Jim) Anderson of Parker, CO, Mary Thake of Attleboro, MA, and Donna (Frank) Franklin of Tilden, TX, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family, all who he loved very much.
Visitation will be 5 PM – 8 PM, Sunday, August 21, 2022 at Sunset Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78218. The funeral service will be 11:30 AM, Monday, August 22, 2022 at the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 6914 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78240. The interment ceremony, with Army honors, will follow at 1:00 PM at the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, where Jerry will be interred alongside his late wife, Susan.
In lieu of flowers, if possible, consider a donation in his memory of blood, plasma, or funds at your local blood bank. Thank you!
