Steve Perkins

Steve Perkins




On April 23, 1956 Carl Perkins was on tour performing his number one hit record, "Blue Suede Shoes". His wife, Valda, was at Jackson Madison County General Hospital giving birth to their third child, Stephen Allen Perkins. A phone set up by the stage rang as Carl was about to go on. Carl answered it and screamed as he walked out on stage, "It's a boy!" The audience applauded as Carl, the proud daddy, hit his famous lick on the guitar and rocked the house down.

Steve was a quiet, sensitive child who excelled at sports. He was highly competitive. His determination to win border-lined obsession. However, it was that determination that served him well in his adult life. After graduating from JCM, Steve toured with his daddy and brothers for a short while. Unlike his daddy and brothers Steve did not want a career in music. He had always been interested in drawing and decided to attend the Tennessee Technology Center where he learned to be a draftsman. He began work at Westinghouse, which later became ABB, and remained a loyal and respected employee for twenty-eight years. It was there he met and married his beloved Donna who had three sons, Matt, Jonathon, and Cody. He and Donna later had Chase. In July, 2008, at age fifty-two, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and yet, continued to work struggling with the pain from his disease. Finally, he had to say good-bye to the job he loved so much. I often wondered how he did it. That was Steve's determination shinning though.

On May 31, 2009 Steve lost his battle. His wish was to be cremated, with no service. He did not want to be memorialized in any way. He didn't want family and friends to put their lives on hold and pay respect to him. And so according to his wishes there will be no service. However, I am sure there was jubilation among the angels when Steve walked through heaven's door and God handed him his just rewards.

I was blessed to call him my brother. He truly was a man of God who lived his life to the fullest. Anyone who knew Steve knew he was his own man with his own way. In the mid 80's he won the company golf tournament. The plant manager presented him with the trophy and asked Steve why he hadn't told anyone Carl Perkins was his dad. He had been working there for several years. The dry wit and humbleness that was as much a part of Steve as his big, brown eyes responded, "Nobody ever asked me". In this life there are givers, and there are takers. Then, there are those who wait on the fence to take a little, then give a little. Steve Perkins was a giver who sensed a need and filled it unconditionally. Even throughout his illness he continued to give. I could be having a not so good day and stop to visit. I always left with a smile uplifted by his amazing spirit.




To the many who prayed for Steve, thank you. To the many who visited him, thank you. To the doctors and nurses, especially Dr. Shant Garabedian, ER director at Regional Hospital, thank you. To his many friends, thank you for loving him. To God, thank you for sharing your son with us for a short while. To those of you who have lost a loved one or have someone in your life terminally ill, please know you're not alone. The spirit never dies, it just moves on. In my life I have lost both parents, my youngest brother, Greg, and now, Steve. It hurts and always will, but I now realize what Daddy said was true. "We're all just passing thru." And, to those of you who may want to do something in Steve's memory. You know what Steve would say, "Ah, don't do anything for me. Just find somebody that's hurtin' and help them".

God Bless, Debbie Swift



As written by Steve’s sister and published in the Jackson Sun on June 1, 2009.