Irene Perkins

Irene May Perkins, age 97, of Willmar, died Saturday afternoon, March 3, at the Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 7, at Redeemer Lutheran Church with Rev. Steven Bielenberg officiating. Interment will be at Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation is from 5-7 P.M. on Tuesday, March 6, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Irene May Perkins was born on June 9, 1909, in Winthrop, Minnesota, the daughter of Arthur and Amanda (Redetzke) Palmer. At the age of 9, her family moved to McGrath where she received her education. On August 24, 1933, in Giese, Minnesota, she was married to Marvin D. Perkins. They lived in McGrath and Canton, WI., before moving to Willmar in 1938. Her husband, Marvin co-founded Perkins Lumber Company with Kenneth Tomlinson and purchased the rest of stock in 1964. She was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and involved with the church womens activities. Irene was also active in Home Extension and the womens golf league at the Willmar Country Club. She enjoyed flowers and gardening.
She is survived by three daughters, Patricia (and Gary) Bringgold of Edina, Janet (Murph) Eliason of Kandiyohi and Kathie (Michael) Ryan of Rochester; 11 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Also surviving is a daughter-in-law, Janet Perkins of Willmar and two sisters, Alpha Nelson of Sandstone and Bernice Bartelma of McGrath, besides other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, Marvin Jr.; three sisters, Elsie Peterson, Vi Henkel and Sylvia Langenback and one brother, Ted Palmer.
The family of Irene Perkins wishes to extend a special thanks to the staff at Bethesda Heritage Center and Rice Hospice for their caring hearts.