ELIZABETHTOWN
Lillie Mae Perkinson died on July 10, 2022. She was born August 24, 1930, in Henryville, Indiana, the daughter of James and Laura Petty.
During WWII she wrote a Dear John letter for a neighbor to Lester E. Perkinson. That correspondence led to more letters and their marriage on June 25, 1948. They were inseparable for 71 years and married for almost 69 years.
There were never enough hours in the day for her. She raised five children, as well as a mom to so many others. Her door was always open, her heart welcoming, and her arms full. There must be a special place in heaven for someone who courageously cared for five generations of family, neighbors, and strangers.
Lillie was the queen of chicken and noodles and comfort foods and cobblers, the best strawberry picker in the world, and a voracious reader, especially of the Bible. And she loved her daughter Linda moving in to care for her these past five years.
Over the years she worked at the Shirt Factory in the Roviar and Rumple building, the Convalescent Center, Cosco, and Cummins. She was also a community seamstress and a Sunday School teacher at the Sandcreek-Azalia Friends Meetinghouse.
Lillie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Lester; daughter, Brenda Kay; brothers Norman and James Petty; sisters, Nell Abner and Mary Bane; and granddaughter, April Perkinson.
Survivors include her brothers Max and Jack Petty; daughters, Linda Perkinson and Lynnette (David) Krueger; sons, Larry (Julie), Gene (Susan) and Lester (Kelly); grandchildren, Kara Lay, Charity Bateman, Michelle (Ben) Rooks, Josh Perkinson, Ben (Katie) Krueger, Amanda Perkinson, Myra (Justin) Sims, Kristina (Nick) Doran, Leland (Shannon) Perkinson Jr., Hannah Perkinson and Loretta and Renata Mize; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie, Graham and Cayden Rooks, Camden, Logan and Charlie Lay, Max McNeely, Ryleigh and Claire Bateman, Noah Sims, Josh Perkinson Jr., Vincent, Garrett, Amelia and Wren Perkinson, Ella Doran, Maisie and Duncan Krueger; and beloved nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 15, at the Sandcreek-Azalia Friends Meetinghouse with Pastors Fred Darling and Peggy Caldwell officiating. Visitation will be from 11:30 until time of service at the church. Burial will be at the Sandcreek Friends Cemetery.
Arrangements were entrusted to Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sandcreek-Azalia Friends Church or Our Hospice of South-Central Indiana through the funeral home.
As cousin Jane shared, “God’s speed, Lillie. I know your Lester has been waiting.”
