Dewitt R. Perkins

DeWITT R. "Toad" PERKINS, age 79, of 106 Malloryville Road, Freeville, NY died Sunday, June 13, 2004 at his residence after a long illness. Mr. Perkins was born October 12, 1924 at Dryden a son of the late Ernest and Josephine DeWitt Perkins. DeWitt who was nick- named "Toad" as a young boy was graduated from Dryden High School and served his country during WW II in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific Theaters. After being honorably discharged from the US Navy he was married to the former Twyla Humphrey at Dryden. Twyla passed away

unexpectedly on February 19, 1986. In his early years he was employed by Therm Electric as a machinist and operated his own lawn mower sales and repair business on Rt. 13 in Freeville. Later he was a school bus driver for Dryden Central School and was the proprietor of Dryden Hardware Store. He was employed at Cornell University first as a campus bus driver and later as a campus mail carrier until retirement in 1987. On February 14, 1989 he was married to the former Doris Leigh Fox at Dryden. He was a member of Dryden Lodge #472 F.&A.M., Dryden Fire Department, Leonard T. Spaulding Post 1134, American Legion, Dryden Township Post 8158, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Dryden Senior Citizens and the Town of Dryden Historical Society. An avid sportsman he lived for hunting and fishing. He often entertained friends from out of town who came whitetail deer hunting. In retirement he enjoyed many hobbies including collecting antiques and traveling. "Toad" was known locally to nearly everyone at anyplace that he traveled. A friendly person with a heart of gold, he was loved by his family and friends and will be missed greatly.

Survivors include his wife, Doris Leigh Stevens Perkins of Freeville; his children, Deborah R. (Edgar) Parker of Freeville, Dave D. (Kathy) Perkins of Freeville, Amy Jo Richards of Front Royal, VA and Ernest G. Perkins of Hudson, FL; his brother, Paul P. (Joyce) Perkins of Dryden; step-children, Raymond (Patsy) Stevens of Candor, Carl (Dawn) Stevens of Davenport, CA, Gary Stevens of Santa Cruz, CA, Lorraine (Ray) Osborne of Cortland, Glenn Stevens of Groton, Sandra (Charles) Firenze of Ithaca; twenty-nine grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews and two cousins.

Funeral services will be at 10 AM Wednesday, June 16, 2004 at the Perkins Funeral Home with Rev. David C. Robinson of The First Presbyterian Church of Dryden officiating. Burial will be in Willow Glen Cemetery, Dryden, where members of the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home ritual team will conduct military honors. Friends are invited to call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM Tuesday at the funeral home, 55 West Main St., Dryden. Members of Dryden Lodge will conduct Masonic Services at 8:45 PM Tuesday at the funeral home. Those wishing to remember Toad are asked to make a gift to the "Toad" Perkins Scholarship at Dryden High School, c/o The First National Bank of Dryden, P.O. Box 25, Dryden, NY 13053-0025.