Obituary of Linda Rae Perkins

Linda Rae (Needs) Perkins, age 78, passed away peacefully at home and joined her Heavenly Father on Friday, October 27, 2023. She was born September 11, 1945, in Caldwell, Idaho to Orville Needs and Vesta (Lesher) Needs. Her father was a farmer so Linda grew up playing on farms in Idaho including in Sunny Slope, Succor Creek, and Cambridge, and she attended Cambridge and Homedale Schools.

She married Theron Perkins of Nampa, Idaho in January 1963, in Winnemucca, NV. After living in Washington State for six years, they moved the family to Boise, ID. They then relocated to Wilder in 1975 where Linda worked at the Homedale Nursing Home for several years. Linda had a passion for caring for others. She was always there to care for a friend or family member. She was a dedicated mom not only to her own children, but to her niece and nephew after the loss of their parents.

The family made countless memories during camping trips in the mountains of Idaho. Those memories include a lot of laughter, singing, good food, good friends, and even a microburst. Linda shared a lifelong special friendship of 70+ years with her best friends, Jo (Wharton) (Ford) Howell and Geneva (Nevie) (Dines) Spall. Together, their sense of humor was infectious and the memories endless.

Linda’s love for Jesus was obvious. She enjoyed learning more about the Bible through Bible studies and sharing what she loved. Her words will live in our minds and hearts: be kind, don’t hate, show love.

She is survived by her children: Jeannie (Richard) Matthews of Boise, Theron (Ted) (Lilli) Perkins of Oregon, Robyn Perkins of Wilder; nephew, James (Tia) Chambers; niece, Lynda (Mike) Chambers-Dix; 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Theron (Terry) Perkins; her parents, Orville and Vesta Needs; brother, LeRoy Needs; sister, Rosalie (Needs) Chambers; and granddaughter Linda Lee. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society.

A viewing for friends and family will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2023 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Flahiff Funeral Chapels in Caldwell.