In memory of my Grandfather!!!

Eugene Perkins Jr.
Eugene Brent Perkins Jr., 82, died March 20, 2011, at St Alphonsus Medical Center-Baker City.
His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Gray’s, West & Co. There will be a memorial celebration after the service.
Eugene was born at Baker City on Nov. 16, 1928, to Eugene Brent Perkins and Francis Dora Love Perkins.
His legacy is primarily in the providing, protection, and love of his family, family members said. He was a very competent rancher throughout his life. The Komiza Ranch on Chandler Lane was homesteaded by his great-grandfather, in 1874.
His great-grandfather was a part of the Oregon Trail migration. He traveled with four other brothers in what has been designated as the Perkins train in many documents. At this point, there have been vie generations of continued ranch operation by the Perkins family.
Eugene graduated from Baker High School in 1946. He was drafted into the Army in 1951 and was stationed for two years at San Pedro, Calif., which is where he met and married his wife, Annie.
Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, he brought his wife back to the ranch, raised a family and continued operation of the ranch until his death. Over the years, it was important to him to maintain a relationship with many of his Army buddies.
Eugene had many interests: Dancing (he met Annie at a dance club in Los Angeles and they went on to amaze many people with their graceful and skilled dancing for more than 50 years), fishing, hunting and anything outdoors. He taught himself to play the fiddle and steel guitar. As a child, he danced in exhibitions along with some square dancing with his parents and eventually with his wife as well.
Eugene belonged to the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Baker County Cattlemen’s Association, and the Baker County Wool Board. He was involved in his community whenever needed.
For a number of years, he was the chairman of the annual cattlemen’s picnic where he was responsible for all of the food being provided.
Eugene was not a “cowboy‚” as much as being a diligent, livestock-loving, outdoor-based rancher, his family said. His daily routines included: monitoring and maintaining livestock health, feeding, caring for newborn calves, compassion for the sickness in any of his animals, haying in the summer, irrigating his empire, and the use of either motorcycles or quad ATVs in the fields, rather than horses.
He always had horses but decided that motorized ranching was easier. In spite of not being a “cowboy” he still enjoyed his Stetson cowboy hat and boots when getting out on the town.
Eugene loved to tell stories and had a good recall of jokes. He felt very comfortable in social situations. Talking to Eugene was very enjoyable and could last from a few minutes to many hours.
His childhood recollections were very interesting. He collected dozens of different types of bird eggs (his collection is still intact today). He raised a baby porcupine whose mother had been injured, raised a Canada goose from an egg (it was the only one left in a nest that had been raided by a predator), and he always had a dog or two for a companion while out in the fields and around his livestock.
He will be greatly missed by friends from all walks of life, relatives, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and just about anybody who had the privilege to be in his company, his family said.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Annie Felando Perkins; four children, Gary, Shirley (Dinger), Frank, and Steve Perkins; his sister, Delores Perkins Gilmore of La Grande; 10 grandchildren, Nathan, Nicole (Lyon), Rebecca, and Mathew Dinger, Alisa Perkins Boulter, Steven Perkins, Natalie and Brian Perkins, Jeffrey Perkins and Logan Perkins; and four great-grandchildren, Maxwell and Mckenzie Lyon, Charlie Boulter, and Brynn Dinger.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one granddaughter, Jessica Perkins, who died in 2008.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814

Grandpa with is Sweetheart! 

Dancing with Grandpa at my reception! 

Grandpa holding his great grandson Charlie!

Grandpa with his grandchildren!

Steve, Eugene, Frank and Gary.  All of Grandpa’s boys…..we are missing his daughter Shirley in this picture.

Grandpa in Croatia!

This is an endearing picture to me.  Whenever I go to visit the ranch you will find my Grandpa out in the fields riding his Trail 90 and checking the cattle!

I love this dear man and will miss him greatly. 

You left an incredible legacy for your family Grandpa.  I attribute my hard work ethics to your example!   Thank you for your selflessness and Christ like service to your family. 

God be with you until we meet again!