Leonard Perkins

A true legend is gone.

On December 18th at 8:44 pm, Coach Leonard Francis Perkins passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones at McLaren Macomb Hospital. He had eighty-six beautiful years on this Earth and he leaves behind a legacy that has touched thousands of lives, none more than his wife and partner of over thirty years, Denise Wendt. Perk (as many came to know him) was born the fourth of five children to George and Natalie Perkins in Newport, New Hampshire, He loved fishing, hunting and chopping wood as a young boy. He found his real passion, sports, as a teenager and decided to study Education at Indiana State University. He went on to receive a Masters in Physical Education at Central Michigan University. He settled down in the small town of New Baltimore, Michigan where he taught physical education and coached several sports teams at Anchor Bay High School. Perk is the only person in the history of the school system to be the head coach of the varsity men's football, basketball and baseball teams in the same year. Over forty plus years of teaching (and fifty as a coach), he built a Class A Athletic Department at ABHS. He also built a family of four sons and one daughter with his first wife Donna, all of whom were students at Anchor Bay and all of whom were taught to jitterbug and fox trot and waltz by their father in their freshman PE class. Lenny (as many others came to know him) solidified his legendary status on the baseball diamond where he amassed many victories and numerous championships. He was inducted into not one but three prestigious institutions, The Michigan High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Macomb County Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He worked at Anchor Bay as a coach, teacher, and athletic director, Macomb Community College as head baseball coach for nine years, and lastly Algonac High School as head softball coach, leading the team to a state semifinal in 2022. He coached that team with his wife Denise, whom he shared several co-coaching positions over the course of their long and devoted relationship.

Dad (as a select few were lucky enough to call him) is survived by his sister, Jenny Brown, his wife, Denise Wendt, his children, Michael (retired teacher and administrator), Thomas (orthopedic surgeon), Daniel (teacher, coach, nominee for MHSAA Hall Of Fame), Stephen (US Naval veteran) and Kathleen (actress, writer, producer), along with four daughter-in-laws, a son-in-law, and twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren. His legacy runs deep.

Len Perkins will be remembered for his devotion to his players, his keen eye for talent and drive, his strong work ethic, and his love of performance and competition, in sport and in art and in life. They say it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game. Well, that kid played it with grace and true grit. We will do our best to carry his torch, the ones he left behind.

Memorial visitation for Perk will be at the Wasik Funeral Home at 35259 23 Mile Road in New Baltimore, Michigan on Monday, December 22nd. Visitation is between 2 pm to 8 pm, service and devotion at 6 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The National Kidney Foundation or St. Jude's Children's

Research Hospital.