Richard Wesley Perkins Jr

Richard Wesley Perkins, Jr. of Charlotte, passed away on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at home surrounded by his family and friends. He was born in Springfield, MA on January 11, 1942 to the late Richard and Fern Perkins. He spent his childhood in Syracuse, NY and then moved to Nashville, TN where he met the love of his life, Joan Perkins. They married in July 1966. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Joan; a son, Bryan Perkins (Jennifer) of Indian Trail, NC; a daughter, LeighAnn Perkins (Donna) of Stony Point, NC; two sisters, Susan Dowley (Peter) of Aiken, SC and Judy Peterson (Mark) of Charlotte, NC; six grandchildren, Zach Perkins, Dylan Perkins, and Elijah Perkins of Indian Trail, NC, and Olivia Perkins, Noah Perkins and Karson Perkins of Stony Point, NC; one brother-in-law, Bill Swain of Old Hickory, TN; five nieces and nephews, Eric Dowley, Jennifer Sotela, Alex Dowley, Sarah Porter and Destiny Swain; and many cousins including Wayne and Sue LaGueux and family. He is also survived by best friends, Steve and Patty Knight of Charlotte, NC and Punta Gorda, FL who traveled far to stay by his side for his last days. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in 2017 and fought with courage and optimism every day. Many thanks go to the family and friends who stood beside him. Special thanks to each and every doctor, nurse and healthcare worker that supported him and Joan during the entirety of his illness. He worked in sales and management for 40+ years in the office products and furniture industry. Over those years, he made lifelong friends of many coworkers. He retired from Esselte Corporation in 1997. He enjoyed many hobbies during retirement. He loved taking day trips to Asheville and other NC mountain destinations. He was an avid bird watcher. He loved spending time with his family. He and Joan loved riding their motorcycle until just a few years ago. A gathering of family and friends will take place on Wednesday, August 14,11am at St. Gabriels Catholic Church, 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte for a short service which will include interment of ashes in the columbarium. After the service, there will be a gathering at the home for friends to visit. Memorial donations may be made to Levine Cancer Institute and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN).