Donald Kenneth Perkins, 86, of Corpus Christi and a former longtime resident of Kingsville, died Wednesday, August 6, 2014. He was born December 8, 1927 in Houston, Tex. to Kenney Perkins and Mae Mosier Perkins. He married Mary Bunting on March 16, 1950.
He started working for Humble Oil Company in the late 1940's, first in Katy, TX, and then in 1960 he brought his family to Kingsville to work at the new Exxon King Ranch gas plant. An "instrument man", he traveled So. Texas to work the production fields from Freer to Refugio. Time was also spent offshore of California on the Hondo start-up floating oil platform, and in remote Alaska on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. He retired with about 38 years' service with the company.
During his retirement, he spent many years volunteering at the Senior Friends Center in Corpus Christi, and took numerous sight-seeing trips abroad. He enjoyed hosting many impromptu music sessions at his home, where Darrell and friends played the night away. Camping and visiting at the Kerrville Music Festival was a yearly ritual, as well. An avid gardener, he planted numerous pecan trees in Katy, oaks and citrus in Kingsville and Corpus Christi, leaving shade and fruit for those that followed him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Mary, son Kenneth, and infant grandson David.
Survivors include his son Darrell Perkins of Corpus Christi and daughter Joy (David) Christopher of Kingsville, eight grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.
He was a former member of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Kingsville. A memorial service will be held Sunday, August 10, 2pm at Guardian Funeral Home, 5922 Crosstown, Corpus Christi, TX.