Cleo J. Perkins

Cleo June Henrichs Perkins passed away unexpectedly on January 5 at Homestead House in Beatrice, NE.  God wove destiny and placed David beside her visiting when she died.

She was born on June 10, 1929 to George and Margaret (Rosener) Regnier.  Cleo spent her early years on the family’s farm along the banks of Rose Creek south of Fairbury where she attended country school.  Her baptism and confirmation were at Grace Lutheran Church of Fairbury. The family then moved to Diller and Cleo graduated from Diller Schools in 1947.

Following graduation she worked and lived in Fairbury.  On May 3, 1950 she and Clarence Henrichs were married at Grace Lutheran.  They farmed south of Diller and worked hard together to build a good home and life for their 3 children, Becky, Beth and David.  They built their own house with the help of family and friends and hours of reclaiming used materials.  She always had chickens and sold eggs and raised over 200 hundred chickens each year for the tables of the extended family.

Clarence passed away in 1987 and Cleo remained on the farm.

On January 27, 1996 Cleo married Howard (Clifford) Perkins and they resided in rural Diller.  They spent time fishing, some travel and many hours sitting on their large front porch watching the wrens and the world pass by.

Cleo’s faith was a key part of her life.  So often she would pause to acknowledge how blessed she was by God and would quietly state, ‘Be still and know that I am God’ when life was hard.  She was active in the work of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Diller, participating in Eunice Circle Bible study, helping with Warren’s Table, organizing the Layette project for many years, teaching Sunday School and VBS, and serving on committees or willingly filling any role.

She was also a civic leader in the community.  Cleo started and guided the process that lead to the construction of the Diller Community Building.  She was on the Diller Picnic Committee for so many years that we don’t know what year she started.  Cleo always worked to organize the parade and added to the event by building many float entries herself.  She served as a 4-H leader, was a Diller Community Club and Diller Old Bank Museum committee member.

Cleo’s family was her greatest joy in life and when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 45 years ago, she vowed that it would not keep her from seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren grow and live life.  She had real will power and at age 92 she can say she won.

She also loved to talk on the phone, raise tomatoes, go to auctions and garage sale for baby items for her Baby Layette passion. Cleo hated snakes.

She has left many family and friends who will miss her dearly: her children David (Sherry) Henrichs and Beth (Dean) Roelfs of Diller, Becky (John) Snyder of Liberty; brother Fred Regnier of Layfaette, IN; step children  Rhonda (Larry) Manley, Washington, KS, Rick Perkins, Jamestown, KS, Roxanne Schottel, Washington, KS; grandchildren Rachel Turney, Stevens Point, WI, Casey Phillips, Eua Claire, WI, Allen Roelfs and Adam Roelfs of Diller, Sarah Crabtree of Bennett and Joseph Henrichs, Beatrice; great grandchildren Nathan, Hannah and Emma Phillips, Anna, Micah and Noah  Turney, Aubrey Roelfs and Zander and Halle Henrichs; 5 step grandchildren and 14 step great-grandchildren.

She is preceded by her husbands, Clarence and Howard, as well as many family and friends whom she greatly missed.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran in Diller. Pastor Mark Liscom will be officiating.  Burial will be at Prairie Home Cemetery, Diller with a meal at the church to follow. The family will greet friends and relatives from 5 – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11 at Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home in Fairbury.

Masks are suggested.  Rather than flowers, the family encourages memorial gifts.  A portion will be given to support the Lutheran World Baby Layette Project that she was so passionate about.