Obituary
Mr. Carroll Gray Perkins of Oviedo, Florida passed away after an extended illness on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at Harborchase of Wildwood in Wildwood, FL. Mr. Perkins was born on January 17, 1950 in Surry County to the late Carroll Lee Perkins and Beulah Grey Marion Perkins. He grew up in Copeland, NC just down the road from his grandparents. He spent his childhood helping on the family farm where he paid his dues priming tobacco, getting up hay and working in the garden. However, his passion was tinkering in his workshop over the garage. He loved to dissemble things, repair broken items and experiment with ideas. This “tinkering” habit stayed with him all his life as he thrived on rigging and rebuilding all kinds of household items. The family moved to Pilot Mountain in time for Mr. Perkins to attend East Surry High School where was an honor student, band member and saved for college by driving a bus and working at Armtex. After graduation, he attended N.C. State University where he majored in Computer Science and helped lay the foundation for the SAS Institute while working in the statistics department.
Mr. Perkins returned to Pilot Mountain after graduation to start his career in computer networking and raise a family with Linda Tilley, his high school classmate whom he had married while in college. He worked several years with Hanes Corporation followed by a longer tenure at Westinghouse. Working for a multi-national required him to work extended periods in places such as Pittsburgh, New York, Washington, DC and Florida. He finished his career by working for defense contractors that built on his existing relationships in Washington, DC and Florida. Eventually, he chose to retire to Oviedo, FL after working there for so many years. Mr. Perkins was very dedicated to his work, but he also enjoyed his spare time. He helped raise a wonderful family and attended Whitaker’s Chapel United Methodist Church. He loved his college football and basketball, especially his NCSU Wolfpack. He loved car technology, and he followed stock car racing closely from the early days. He even lived out his dream when he attended the Richard Petty driving school.
Carroll Perkins had an endearing, affable personality that left an impression on all who knew him. His work career allowed him to touch a lot of lives in many places and he always left people with a smile on their face. He enjoyed his Southern cooking like fried chicken, barbecue, fried seafood and tomato sandwiches. Later in life, he enjoyed spending time with his mother, visiting his grandchildren and attending family reunions. One of his favorite hobbies was finding ingenious ways to be economical, and he received great satisfaction with discovering a new cost-saving technology. Carroll Gray Perkins was loved and appreciated by many who crossed paths with him, and he will be missed for his unique personality and zest for life. He is survived by two children: Brian Gray Perkins of Cary, NC and Leigh Ann Jones of King, NC; two grandchildren: Isabella and Abigail; former wife Linda Tilley Perkins; two brothers: Brent L. Perkins (Patricia) of Boone, NC and Mark A. Perkins of Winston-Salem, NC; one sister: Susan E. Perkins (Ken) of Burlington, NC; two nephews: Chris and Lance; and many dear aunts, uncles and cousins. Arrangements are pending due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Perkins Family