- Date Of Death: June 10, 2016
- State: Idaho
James Richard Perkins, 91, returned to his wife, mother and siblings on June 10, 2016, on a beautiful spring morning. He was a resident of Bear Lake Skilled Nursing Home where he met many new friends and was cared for with love and smiles. James, as he was called there, loved finishing the last of his life there. Richard was born February 3, 1925, in Paris, Idaho, as the third child born to Ira Ervan Perkins and Florence Mae Crumpton. One difficulty Richard faced early was the loss of his loving mother when he was twelve years old. That was the only mother’s love he would know in his life. He had much to do with the love and nurturing of five younger siblings. He was always available to them for any help they might need. He was the first person they would call when something important happened in their lives—even through their adulthoods. Richard married the love on his life, Orlean Sizemore, a petite young blonde that easily won his heart. They were married June 1, 1946 in Paris, Idaho, and that union was later solemnized in the Logan Temple. He was a wonderful caretaker to Orlean in her later life as she slipped quietly into dementia. They were parents of four children: Nyle Richard (Flo) of Maine, Larry James (Joan) of Hayes, Kansas, Lynette Nate( Keith) of Cokeville, Wyoming and Craig Eugene (Rochelle) of Pocatello, Idaho. Richard was the last surviving WWII veteran from Cokeville. He joined the US Army right after high school to assist in the fight against Japan, For most of the war he was stationed in the Pacific Islands including the Philippine Islands. During his tenure he helped liberate a prisoner-of-war camp and the city of Manila, and had a great love for the native people there. He was a machine gun operator, and saw first-hand the horrors of war. The nightmares stayed with Richard to the end of his life. He was wounded in the head for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
