Mary Ellen "Polly" Perkins

Mary Ellen "Polly" Perkins passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the remarkable age of 107. She was the second oldest person in Deschutes County, a testament to a life well-lived and rich with history.

Born Mary Ellen Nyden in July 1917-just months before the end of World War I-she grew up in the historic Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. A true Oregonian, her great-grandmother arrived by wagon train in the mid-1800s, a journey meticulously documented in a diary later published by Polly's mother, Evangeline.

As a young girl attending grade school in Sellwood, Mary Ellen and her friends decided they wanted different names. Tired of being mistakenly called just "Mary" instead of "Mary Ellen," she adopted the name Polly-a choice that stayed with her for more than a century.

After graduating from Washington High School, Polly put her shorthand and typing skills to use as a secretary for an insurance company. On a girls' weekend trip to Seaside, she met Howard Perkins-a tall, handsome man who would become her husband. They married on March 5, 1941, and shared 60 wonderful years together. Polly and Howard raised two sons, John (born in 1945) and Tim (born in 1949), while making their home in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Later in life, Polly and Howard moved to Los Angeles for two decades before retiring to Sunriver in the mid-1980s. Howard passed away in 2001, just days after their milestone anniversary. Polly remained in their Sunriver home until she was 104 years old-still shoveling snow off her driveway, tending to her yard, devouring books, and even traveling abroad with family until she was 99. Her final international adventure took her to Iceland.

A fiercely independent spirit, Polly drove until she was 104 years old. Renewing her driver's license at age 101 provided an unforgettable moment for both herself and the DMV employee who did a double take upon seeing her birthdate. Even her auto insurance company had to adjust its system to accommodate an age requiring three digits.

Spending time with Polly felt like stepping into a living history book. Her stories surfaced with charming spontaneity:

She reminisced about the Great Depression when milkshakes cost only a nickel-but no one had a nickel to spare. She spoke fondly of how people looked out for each other and how having just one or two dresses was considered completely normal.

She recalled childhood road trips when car travel meant stopping every 20 miles so her father could patch another tire.

She described the excitement-and uncertainty-surrounding the first talking films ("talkies"), as people marveled at voices coming from the screen.

She once found herself stranded overnight on Mount Hood as a young woman-a misadventure that landed on the front page of *The Oregonian* and earned her an angry letter from Search and Rescue.

During World War II, she played host to visiting Russian generals as part of Portland's role in the Lend-Lease program.

And when it came to telephones? She vividly remembered when a friend at the local phone company whispered that soon people would have their very own private lines-a revelation that seemed almost too futuristic at the time.

Over the course of her extraordinary life spanning 19 U.S. presidents, Polly embodied resilience, wisdom, and an enduring sense of wonder.

She leaves behind five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who will forever cherish memories of their time together-her warm presence, their shared love of chocolate, and her ever-cheeky sense of humor.

A memorial service will be held in May. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Polly's name to Habitat for Humanity of Sunriver/La Pine (https://www.habitatlapinesunriver.org/) or Council on Aging Meals on Wheels program (https://www.councilonaging.org/donate/) -organizations that provided her with care during COVID-19.

Polly's life was nothing short of remarkable-a century filled with adventure, laughter, and love. She will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all who were lucky enough to know her.