Obituary: Robert LeRoy Perkins (Jun. 8, 1921 - May 4, 2009)

A memorial service will be at 1:00 p.m., Friday, May 15, 2009, at Illinois Valley Funeral Directors, 26569 Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, Ore., with Father Ron Nelson officiating. Illinois Valley Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements. Interment will be at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

He was born June 8, 1921, in Washington, Indiana, to Roy and Anna Perkins. He received a Foresty Degree at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. He was a United States Navy veteran and served on the Kaula Battleship, Thornhill DE-195 WW II Destroyer and the USS Bernadou DD153 WW II Destroyer. After being discharged he worked for the Fish and Game Department in Redding California, then joined the California State Parks Service working as a park ranger in Soladad, California, and Hearst Castle. He later worked as Chief Park Ranger at Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Park, then moved to Shasta, California and worked as a Chief Park Ranger with law enfor-cement credentials. After moving to Del Norte County, Crescent City, he was in charge of five parks from Crescent City to Eureka, California. In 1982, he moved from Crescent City, to Cave Junction, where he has lived for 27 years.

He was a member of the United Flying Octa-genarians, Grants Pass Elks Lodge BPOE 1584, Kamloops Society and E Clampus Vitus, a historical society.

His hobbies included flying, golfing and com-mercial fishing for salmon.

Survivors include three daughters, Roberta Elkins of Shasta, California, Aleda Ely of Redding, California, and Sheri Mels of Sacramento, California; two sons, Matthew Perkins of Grants Pass and Joel Perkins of Cave Junction; four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.