Jesse Wayne Perkins

A Celebration of Life for Jesse Wayne Perkins, 70, of Lufkin, will be held Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at Shafer Funeral Home in Lufkin, Texas with Kendell Jamison officiating.

Mr. Perkins was born on January 31, 1955, in Nacogdoches, Texas, to the late Robert and Gloria Perkins, and passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

He was the oldest of 5 children and, as the son of a military man, he moved around extensively. He had the gift of gab and easily made friends wherever he went. He was generous to a fault and those who knew him always had a story, like buying Terri a wig for the school dance team or giving a homeless man in need the shirt and shoes off his person.

Jesse spent nearly 40 years working for Lyondell before retiring and moving to the Lufkin area in 2017. Having moved back to the area he was born in, he found solace and community by spending time with his numerous cousins and friends, as well as his wife, Carla's siblings. Jesse also found Jesus later in life and reaffirmed his devotion to Christ.

Those who knew him best knew his love for fishing ran deep. It didn't much matter if it was freshwater or saltwater, he constantly had a fishing pole no matter where he went. His fishing tales often rivaled the length of the fish he caught – as to which was the biggest, well nobody could fully know!

Mr. Perkins is survived by his wife, Carla, whom he was incredibly lucky to meet in 2008, at a funeral of all places. Jesse enjoyed life and lived it fully, so asking Carla out at a funeral just made sense, and that was the type of person he was. As fortune often favors the bold, they married later that year and have spent nearly 20 years together. He gained a son through marriage, Dwayne, and two grandchildren, Kaylyn and Dylan. Jesse also leaves behind their dog, Bella, with whom he had an incredibly close relationship. They were often attached at the hip, even in sleep. He is also survived by his daughter from his first marriage, Amanda Coupe and husband, Jeremy; sister and brother-in-law, Terri and Mike; sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Reggie, sister and brother-in-law, Laura and Roland; brother-in-law and wife, Cary and Janet; sister-in-law, Sharon; brother-in-law, Gary; and numerous cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Jacob Perkins; brother and sister-in-law, David and Chrystal Perkins; and brother-in-law, Terry.

His memory will live on in the lives he touched and the hearts of all those who loved him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Jesse Perkins to Coastal Conservation Association Texas, ccatexas@org.

Shafer Funeral Home, Lufkin directors.