Natural caregiver, loved knitting and cooking
MELROSE — Mildred Boyle Perkins, a resident of Lynnfield and formerly of Melrose, died peacefully on May 15 at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center holding hands with her husband of 71 years, George William (Bill) Perkins, II. Her sons, George III; Clifton and his husband Ron Hudson; and Mark were with her and were given the gift of saying goodbye. Mildred turned 94 on May 9.
Born into a family as the second oldest and first daughter, she became her mother’s key helper in raising her 6 siblings: Milton, William, Kenneth, Loretta, Irene and Lawrence. She continued caring for her mother Etta and her father Milton Boyle and became her father’s assistant when he moved his dental practice to Lynnfield. Mildred was a natural caregiver and devoted her life to her family. She was an excellent cook, baker and loved cooking for holidays and picnics in her beautiful yard. She enjoyed being a homemaker and excelled at raising her three sons. She was the glue that held together her siblings and her immediate family with George. She knitted beautiful scarves, sweaters, booties and taught her honorary granddaughter, Annie Ranan, with whom she had a very special relationship, how to knit and crochet. She dearly loved her grandchildren: Sarah, Ben, Rachel and Luke and her great grandchildren: Logan, Bodhi, Gavin, Danny, Noah and Nicolas.
Her love enveloped the animals that were a part of her life including many dogs and cats. Every day she sat in the family room or on the porch to watch an array of local birds come to her many feeders and then walked the gardens that Clifton created. The flowers and their scents, the fish and the paths through the yards gave her great pleasure.
In addition to the family mentioned above, she leaves behind a daughter-in-law, Judy Ranan, wife of George III who she loved as her own daughter; and two wonderful men: Luis Santiago husband to Sarah and Noah Eisendrath husband to Rachel; and Ben’s wonderful wife, Helen Kuder. Mildred will be missed by many. The memory of her and the love she shared with her family every day, will live forever in the hearts of everyone who knew her.
Private family services will be held in honor of Mildred’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mildred may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105. For online tribute, visit www.RobinsonFuneralHome.com.
