Clarke Eldon Perkins November 6, 1956 – December 29, 2011
Clarke Eldon Perkins, age 55, of Lamoni, Iowa, who never had a bad day, was the son of the late Marvin Lee Perkins, Sr. and Mary Jane (Turck) Lovell. Clarke was born on November 6, 1956 in Emmetsburg, Iowa and passed away at his home Thursday, December 29, 2011.
Clarke went to school at Grand Valley and then went on to finish in Leon. Clarke worked on the farm for years with his dad and on Thursdays he would work at the sale barn in Lamoni. He met the love of his life, Trudy Schoonover, in 1976 and they were together until Clarke’s death 35 years later.
After his father’s death, Clarke and Trudy went on to start their own businesses, which included custom feeding and row crop farming. In 1988 they began a new venture when they built The Sportsman’s Lodge and in the early 2000s Clarke and Trudy bought the bar in Kellerton, Iowa and named it 2nd Home. They also bought and sold many properties in Kellerton after renovating them and also owned Kellerton Tire. Clarke was always looking for a new venture to tackle.
Clarke was a people person and he loved to laugh. He enjoyed all of his business ventures but he especially looked forward to hunting season. He made friends with all the hunters and couldn’t wait for the next year.
In his spare time Clarke liked to fish, coyote hunt, spend time with his family and he especially enjoyed being a grandfather to A.J., who became his world.
Preceding him in death were his father, Marvin Perkins, Sr.; his stepfather, Dean Lovell; special aunt, Jean Perkins; niece, Ashley Parkhurst, and all of his grandparents.
Survivors include soul mate Trudy Schoonover of the home; son Jason Perkins and wife KaSandra of Kellerton, Iowa; grandson Ashton Perkins; mother Mary Lovell of Lamoni, Iowa; brother Marvin Perkins, Jr. of Lamoni, Iowa; sister Pat Garelick of Augusta, Georgia; sister Barb Onyett and husband Chuck of Leon, Iowa; brother Tom Perkins and wife Linda of Lamoni, Iowa; sister Carla Hall and husband Jay of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; sister Shelly Perkins of Des Moines, Iowa; sister Jodi Perkins of Des Moines, Iowa; sister Kelly Tigges and husband Merle of Fenton, Iowa; stepmother Linda Perkins of Algona, Iowa; in-laws Pat Schoonover of Blythedale, Missouri and Harold Schoonover and wife Joann of Eagleville, Missouri; sisters-in-law Sandy Willis and husband Wendell of Cainsville, Missouri and Sherri Parkhurst and husband Lyle of Eagleville, Missouri; aunts; uncles; nieces; nephews, and a world full of friends who will all cherish their memories of Clarke.
Funeral services were Tuesday, January 3, 2012, at the Community of Christ Church in Lamoni with Elders Bill McElroy and Bob Bjorland officiating. Burial was at Mount Zion Cemetery in Ringgold county, Iowa. Arrangements were through Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home of Leon and Lamoni.
Memorials may be made to the family.
