Martha E. Keichline Perkins

1923 - 2016

Martha E. (Betty) Keichline Perkins

Huntingdon, PA

Martha E. (Betty) Keichline Perkins died on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Westminster Woods Nursing Home in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Betty was born in Huntingdon PA in 1923, the youngest of eight children of Dr. John M. Keichline M.D. and Martha J. Thompson Keichline. She graduated from Huntingdon High School in 1941 and attended Winthrop College in Rock Hill SC for one year. When World War II began, she transferred to the Nursing School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where she received her RN degree in 1945. She married Gordon Osborne Perkins in 1945 and had two children, Nancy Jane, of Bellefonte PA and Gordon Osborne Jr. of Chisago City MN.

Betty continued her nursing career in positions of private duty, emergency room, volunteer hospice, nursing home, and home health care. She was a resident of Murfreesboro TN for many years and was active in many clubs, organizations and the First Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro, where she served as an Elder.

In 1967, she became an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution serving in many leadership positions; Vice Regent, Sauk Trail Chapter, Chicago Heights IL; Regent, Westfield Chapter, Westfield NJ; Regent, Peralta Chapter, Hayward CA; and Regent, Captain William Lytle Chapter, Murfreesboro TN.

In 1998, Betty received the DAR's highest award for service to veterans, the National Outstanding VAVS DAR Member Award, which was presented to her at ceremonies at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C.. This award recognized the many volunteer hours she had contributed at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Her contributions in helping to raise DAR funds for the World War II memorial in Nashville, the memorial tree planted at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center, in memory of its namesake, and service to veterans at the Lyons VA Medical Center in New Jersey all describe her commitment to honoring America's veterans. It was a top priority.

In 1995, the Rutherford County Arts & Humanities Council recognized Betty with its Volunteer of the Year Award. Betty's humanitarian contributions included Hospice of Murfreesboro which recognized her in 2005 for 15 years of volunteer service. She was a doll collector, active in the Middle Tennessee Doll Club and enjoyed her collection of Betty Boop memorabilia. She also enjoyed painting, crafts and china painting, played the organ and marimba and was always ready to go out to lunch with friends.

In 2014, she moved to Bellefonte PA, a special place for Betty, since she spent time there with her grandparents, Uncle Doak and Aunts Daise and Anna. In 1992, she and her husband donated materials for an exhibit in Bellefonte's Brockerhoff House celebrating the life of her aunt, architect Anna Keichline. Later in 2011, she sponsored its relocation to the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County where it was displayed for four years.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Gordon, her parents and siblings Sarah, Mary, Sam, Ella, Susannah, Helen and John. She is survived by her daughter Nancy, son Gordon Jr., daughter-in-law Susan, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for the family and burial is planned for a future date at the Arlington Cemetery near Philadelphia.

Memorials to honor Betty's life can be made to the organizations she supported with her time and talents; the First Presbyterian Church of Murfreesboro TN, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center, the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, the Historic Preservation Fund of the Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association, and Westminister Woods where she spent the last several months.

Betty's wonderful smile, graciousness and enthusiastic support of her children and friends will be greatly missed. Arrangements are under the direction of Wetzler Funeral Service, Inc., Bellefonte. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wetzlerfuneralhome.com