Michael Perkins

Michael William Perkins passed away peacefully June 14, 2015. Michael was born April 12, 1940 in beautiful Cache Valley Utah to Wendell and Jessie Perkins. He was the baby of four children. Michael attended North Cache High School where his dad was an English teacher. There he met Claudia Van Orden. After serving a mission for the LDS Church to the Western Canadian area from 1960-1962, he married Claudia and they moved eventually to Orem where their five children were born. He received his Masters degree in Physics and went on to have a long teaching career, starting at Utah Technical College and ending at Utah Valley State College (all the same school). Physics was exciting to him and he loved to help students discover that excitement, too. He was an avid photographer and spent many hours behind the camera during family vacations. Camping was a favorite activity and one that he enjoyed often as well. He and Claudia divorced and he married Linda Weldon. They spent many happy years together. One of their favorite vacation spots was the U.S. Virgin Islands where they both loved to snorkel. During this time, he also served in the Bishopric at the MTC, where he loved spending time with the missionaries. Sadly, Linda became ill and Michael was able to care for her until she passed away in 2002. Deciding that life was more fun when you had someone to share it with, he married Deborah Berry. Upon retiring, he spent much of his time traveling around Utah with Deborah, thoroughly enjoying grandkids and the Shakespearean plays in Cedar City. As his health deteriorated, he traveled less and less but still loved to spend time with family. He is preceded in death by his parents: William and Jessie Perkins, his sisters, Jean and Dorothy and his son David Perkins. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, his brother Richard Perkins (Billy), his children, Deborah Jean Perkins, Jennifer Eve Saavedra (Kelwin), Daniel Joseph Perkins (Melissa), and Rebekah Perkins. He had 9 grandchildren (8 girls and 1 boy) and they will all miss him, especially when we watch the fireworks from Stadium of Fire an annual family tradition. He was a loved father, uncle, brother, and friend and will be greatly missed. Services to be held at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary at 495 South State Street in Orem on Saturday, June 20th at 10:00 am. with a Viewing from 9:00-9:45am,

---