Clyde H. Perkins

Born on Sunday, 7 March 1943, in Claremont, New Hampshire, he was the son of the late Ellsworth Harley Perkins and the late Christina Lois (Murray) formerly of Windsor, Vermont.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Yanmin (Yu) Perkins, daughter of the late Deyang Yu and the late Huilan He formerly of Shihezi, Xinjiang, China. She is his treasure, and he was blessed by her vitality, companionship, and love.

Clyde is survived by a profoundly accomplished professional, guardian angel to her extended family, and cherished daughter, Amber Dawn (Perkins) Neal and her husband Jeffrey Christopher Neal of Kennebunk, Maine; a grandson, young and overflowing with potential, Evan Gabriel Etienne Saulnier and his fiancée Amelia Cassidy Bois-Rioux of Nashua, New Hampshire; an intellectual and affectionate step-daughter, Jing Gu, of Concord, New Hampshire, and ex-wife, co-parent, friend, and love of his younger years, Frances Louise (Pye) Perkins of Kennebunk, Maine; a faithful cousin, hopefully his advocate in any unexpected afterlife, Carmen Tena (Rock) Pinsonault and her husband, Richard L. Pinsonault of Unity, New Hampshire. He leaves them with unbounded love for each and the hope that they will forgive his faults. Other cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Clyde was preceded in death by three brothers, Thomas John of Lebanon, New Hampshire, who offered his pancreas for Amber; Roderick John of Claremont, New Hampshire; and Murdo John of Claremont, New Hampshire; four grandparents, Ellsworth John Perkins and Myrtle Ivy (Perkins) Perkins of Cornish, New Hampshire, Murdo John Murray and Minnie Lucina (Kittredge) Murray of Graniteville, Vermont, an aunt, friend, and confidant, May Belle Fay (Perkins) Rock of Cornish, New Hampshire.

He worked at professional and manager levels at General Electric, Miniature Precision Bearing, Watts Industries, Velcro USA, and along with family, the Arabian American Oil Company, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Twelve years in the Arabian desert, combined with world travel, opened his mind to diverse cultures but left him with special fondness and respect for the Asian traditions. He held Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from Southern New Hampshire University. He was federally or NASA certified in x-ray, metallurgy, electronics, and night-vision technologies. His last job was Management Analyst for the U. S. Department of Defense. Clyde served five years in the U. S. Marine Corps, participating in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis at Guantánamo Bay and the Vietnam War at Da Nang and Chu Lai, Vietnam. As an NRA instructor, certified in several self-defense disciplines, his favorite class was “Refuse to be a Victim.” He was a member of Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and American Legion.

His lifelong genealogical pursuits produced 10,000 plus direct ancestors, including veterans of the French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, WWI, and WWII. A favorite was his third great grandmother, Sarah (Fowler) Perkins, who, eighteen years of age, “with undaunted courage” resisted a British war party in Newbury, Vermont after all the men “made their escape through the doors and windows.” They were patriots all, who sacrificed to create this great United States of America.

He was also a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.

Clyde was a proud and unyielding patriot, who never “took a knee.” A DNA test confirmed his Viking heritage; he recalled with a smile, “some folks knew this before the test.”

And he really enjoyed NASCAR.

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Boscawen. To view Clyde's Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.