Vera McCauley Perkins, 89, passed away November 26, 2024. She was born February

19,1935 in Benton County to Charlie McCauley and Marie McCauley.

She married her high school sweetheart, the late Ellis Steve Perkins, on March 17,1954 and

they enjoyed 66 years of marriage before he passed away on April 15, 2020.

She had several titles she was very honored to go by. Wife, Mom, Grams, Aunt Lane, Teacher

and Friend. She took all these titles very seriously. She spent hours in prayer for all those who

knew her by one of those titles.

She graduated high school from Hickory Flat Attendance. She graduated college from

Northwest Community College with an Associate of Science Degree, Blue Mountain College

with a Bachelor of Science Degree and Ole Miss with a Master of Business Education &

Guidance Counselor.

She taught 3 years in Union County, 2 years in Ohio. The 31 years at Hickory Flat Attendance

Center was where she had the most impact in her teaching career. She loved teaching and she loved her students. So many of her students loved her which became evident when they heard of mom’s diagnosis and that she would be going to Hospice. It was pretty much a revolving door of visitors from former students.

She and her husband, Ellis had over 20 years retired together. During those 20 years they

enjoyed keeping their grandkids, Jonathan and Jacob, and taking them on camping trips when

they were little. Gramps & Grams to Jonathan and Jacob were huge influence in their lives. After the grandkids grew up, their passion for mission trips became their focus. They went on mission trips serving with a mission team and later became part of Campers on Mission and over 12 years did many mission trips with them. Ellis would work on the construction crew, and she would serve in the kitchen. She was well known by her family, church and the mission trip kitchen crew for her homemade rolls and Oreo dessert.
 

She directed many class plays, sponsored the yearbook, put on numerous beauty reviews and

sponsored many classes throughout her 31 years of teaching. One class decided to elect her

as sponsor every year grades 9-12. This class adopted mom into their group text messages

with the entire class. From that class came a referral from a class member for June McGee to

help us take care of mom after she broke her hip and after a stroke. She came along side us,

stepped right in, became part of the family and was an incredible help to us.
 

She is survived by her daughter Jill (Mark) Long, grandsons Jonathan Ellis Long, Jacob Norman (Liz) Long, a nephew Skip (Tina) Goode and a niece that was more like a daughter Monica (Greg) Kennedy. She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters (Verna McCauley Goode and Charlotte McCauley Gresham), one nephew (Charle Goode).

Serving as pall bearers are Tony Beard, Lynn Holland, Wade Holland, Tim Thompson, Tim

Smith, Gary Elliott, Don Reed and James Cox. Honorary pall bearers are the Hickory Flat class of 1975.

Visitation and funeral will be at Hickory Flat Attendance Center in the auditorium on Sunday,

December 1. Visitation 12:00-2:00pm with funeral to follow.