Joseph H. Perkins

Joseph H. Perkins of Newton, Massachusetts, died Thursday June 5, 2025 at the age of 90.

Joe was born May 20, 1935 to Michael and Pearl Perkins (née Simerman) in Brookline, Massachusetts. His youth was defined by summers spent at Camp Alton on Lake Winnipesaukee, which he attended between 1943 and 1956. Perk, as his grandkids called him, attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1957.

After graduating, Joe moved back to Massachusetts and quickly established a career in radio advertising and broadcasting, forging a connection with Vince McMahon Sr., a wrestling promoter whose Capitol Wrestling Corporation later evolved into today's World Wrestling Entertainment. His connection with McMahon defined his career, working for Vince McMahon Jr. for decades, first running the television syndication for wrestling events as president of Communications Consultants, Incorporated, and later joining the WWE board.

In the late 1950s, he met the love of his life, Dorothy Carolyn Perkins. A Mississippi native, Carolyn-or DCP, as he called her-was a flight attendant for American Airlines stationed in Boston during the height of the Jet Age. He nearly derailed what turned out to be a 60-year marriage when Carolyn asked if his Alfa Romeo sports car was a Volkswagen. A lifelong car lover, Perk was duly unimpressed and famously stated that he could have three Volkswagens for the price of this one Alfa Romeo.

Despite this and his other attempts at sabotaging their relationship, Joseph and Carolyn married April 30, 1961. Their daughter, Julie, was born April 11, 1963 and a son, Michael, arrived on December 8, 1965.

In addition to his cars, Joe was fond of classical music, for years holding season tickets for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In his free time he built furniture in a basement workshop, never selling his wares, instead, gifting loved ones beautiful pieces to be enjoyed for decades to come.

Perk was whip smart, wickedly funny, sharply dressed, a master story teller, and deeply charming. He was never the sort to throw an item out and simply replace it. He once went to Home Depot to buy materials to strip and refinish a toilet seat, rather than just buying a new one. His house always had McDonald's ketchup packets too, which the author of this obituary found endlessly amusing.

After DCP passed on June 2, 2021 at the age of 84, life was never the same for Joe. But, he made new friendships and continued to live independently.

He is predeceased by a sister Diana, and survived by Julie, and Michael, his wife Kimberly and their two sons Christopher and Daniel, which he referred to as his favorite eldest and youngest grandsons, respectively. The family will hold private burial. The family asks for donations to the Pan-Mass Challenge ride of Michelle Luo (https://profile.pmc.org/ML0413) a dear friend and neighbor of Joe's, who's dedicating this year's ride to his memory.