Alice Mae Willman Puryear Perkins

1932 - 2025

Alice Mae Willman Puryear Perkins
11/23/1932 - 12/10/2025
Alice Mae Willman Puryear Perkins, age 93, of Austin, Texas, passed peacefully on December 10, 2025.

Alice Mae was born on November 23, 1932, in San Marcos, Texas, to August Oswald Willman and Nina Miller Houston. She later moved to Austin, where she graduated from Austin High School and proudly served as a member of the Red Jackets drill team.

She enjoyed a successful 18-year career in the media center at the Texas School for the Deaf, where she applied her training from the University of Virginia Audio-Visual Center. Alice Mae was deeply involved in her community, serving for several years as President of the Zilker Garden Club, volunteering with Mobile Loaves & Fishes, faithfully attending her Austin Women's Book Club, Southwest Austin Christian Women's Club, The Onion Creek Ladies Auxiliary Club and traveling whenever possible. Loved by many, she was a tremendous caregiver, a generous and thoughtful mother, grandmother, aunt and friend-known for her unwavering positivity and the grace of a true Southern belle.

Alice Mae married her high school sweetheart and best friend Odean Puryear on June 17, 1950. They made their home in South Austin before moving to the family ranch in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Together, they built a meaningful life and legacy, raising two children, Vicki Dean and Gary Lynn.

Following Odean's passing in 2006, Alice returned to South Austin to be closer to her daughter, Vicki Strong. During this chapter of her life, she cherished time spent with friends at Onion Creek Country Club, enjoying socializing, line dancing and water aerobics.
Alice later became an active member of Riverbend Church, where she met Will Earl Perkins. They were married on December 29, 2007. One of Alice's greatest sources of pride was placing The Puryear Ranch into a conservancy, helping preserve the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country for generations to come.

Alice Mae is survived by her daughter, Vicki Puryear Strong; her son, Gary Puryear, daughter-in-law, Jennifer Puryear; stepdaughters Suzie Spellman and Mary Lou "Lulu" Perkins; grandchildren Lace' Puryear, Houston Puryear, Alex Stevens (spouse Derek Stevens), and Parker Puryear; and great-grandchildren Pearson Puryear, Blakely Ward, Whitten Ward and Charlotte Stevens, Niece Gay Jurgelewicz.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husbands, Odean Puryear and Will Perkins and her son-in-law, Larry Strong.

Visitation will be from 4:00PM to 6:00PM on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Harrell Funeral Home, 4435 Frontier Trail, Austin, TX 78745. Funeral services will be 11:00AM on Saturday, December 20 at Harrell Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fitzhugh Cemetery, Austin, TX.