Edward Perkins

October 6, 1943 - March 20, 2016

Bend - Edward Locke Perkins, my beloved husband of 28 years and father of our two sons, passed away last Sunday, March 20th 2016 at the age of 72.

Ed and I were spring cleaning at the time and, as was our habit, we met back at the kitchen frequently to chat, laugh, and enjoy one another's company. Such closeness defined our marriage. We were always looking for more ways to spend time together. That is how I know Ed was happy on his last day and every day that I knew him. He lived with a richness and deepness that we all aspire to and his life benefited everyone who knew him and many who did not.

Ed was born on the 20th of March, 1943 in St. Paul, Minnesota. At a young age he moved to Salem and lived with his brothers James Perkins and Robert Perkins (both of Portland). After graduating from South Salem High School and the University of Oregon, Ed taught middle school for several years in Hollister, California and then Sisters, Oregon.

Ed soon left teaching to obtain a law degree from Willamette University, after which he served as a deputy district attorney in Marion, Klamath, and Deschutes county before being appointed a district court judge for Deschutes County where he served for 32 years.

When Ed and I first met he was sporting what my son calls a "James Dean look." I was smitten by his self-confidence and courteous mannerisms but I quickly fell in love with his kindness, humor, and the consideration he displayed to everyone he met. Ed was in every way a gentleman.

Ed and I have two handsome boys; Locke and his younger brother Marcus. Ed loved being a father and was enormously proud of his sons. Locke is following in his father's footsteps, having recently obtained his J.D., while Marcus is pursuing a degree in computer science.

During our marriage Ed continued his avid love of reading. Books on his subject de jour would arrive daily and every wall of our house was lined with groaning bookshelves. His love of learning and research dovetailed with an interest in genealogy so that his books had to compete with reams of newspaper clippings for shelf space.

Ed always said that retirement was just the start of his new job: golf. He enjoyed playing with his friends at the Broken Top golf course and our light fixtures soon had cause to fear his practice swings. When not golfing Ed enjoyed arranging a book club, starting his own novel, and even found time to take us on a cross-country train trip.

I wish that I could write more about the wonderful person my Ed was; about the hundreds of thank-you letters we discovered from his time as judge, or the phone call my son received on behalf of the veterans who respected Ed's compassion. I want to describe how happy the lives of my two boys are because of their father or how blessed and loved I felt during my time with Ed. But there is not enough ink in the world to say all that I would. So I will finish with this thought:

My husband left this world a better place than when he entered it and his reward was a long and happy life. I love you Ed.

-Kelly R. McNamara

A memorial service will be held at Cascades Academy 19860 Tumalo Reservoir Rd., Bend, OR on April 2, 2016 at 1:00pm. Gifts in Ed's memory can be made to Lawyer's Campaign for Equal Justice at campaignforequaljustice.org.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Statesman Journal on Mar. 30, 2016.