Judy Campbell Perkins

Judy Campbell Hopkins Perkins was born on the 5th of January 1942 to Oscar and Celia (Campbell) Hopkins in Pottersville, Missouri. She was the youngest of 4 sisters. She graduated from West Plains High School in 1959. She then worked at Phelps County Hospital in Rolla, Missouri and then the West Plains Memorial Hospital as a nurse's aide, until she married Lawton Robert Perkins at All Saints Episcopal Church, in West Plains, Missouri on New Year’s Eve 1962. At that point Judy took on the job of Army wife, a role she remained in until Robert retired in 1983. In May of 1966 daughter Robben joined the family while they were stationed at Fort Ord, California. In 1969 Judy and Robben returned to West Plains, MO while Robert was stationed in Viet Nam for his 2nd tour of duty.

Judy was one of the first classes of License Practical Nurses to graduate from the new program in West Plains in 1971. The Army moved the family from Missouri to Fort Knox, Kentucky in October of 1971 and Judy worked as a Base Health Nurse and volunteered with the American Red Cross. She kept her position as a Red Cross Nurse when the family was then moved to Gelnhausen, West Germany in 1976. After a stint at Fort Bliss, Texas and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Robert became the Sargent Major of the Wentworth Military Academy Army ROTC department in January 1980 in Lexington, Missouri. In the fall of 1980 with daughter, Robben in high school, Judy took on a position at Lexington Memorial Hospital. She was one of the staff members that helped rename the hospital Lafayette Regional Health Center. She retired in 1996 due to health. Judy fought fibromyalgia and arthritis for decades.

Judy was never idle. When living on base, she sewed, groomed dogs and was always was active in church and church choir. While in Lexington the family became members of Christ Church Episcopal. This continued for all 33 years she was in Lexington. Music and singing were part of her life from birth. She sang with her sisters while growing up and sang in church choirs wherever she landed. She was even a member of Sweet Adelines after moving to Lexington. She passed down her love of music to her daughter and her grandchildren.

In retirement she went back to sewing and had great fun making clothes for her grandchildren. After the death of Robert in July 2010, she opted to move back to her hometown of West Plains to be closer to her sister Geneva and her family until her death.

Judy was proceeded in death by her parents, 3 older sisters: Juanita Heglin, Oletta Hopkins and Geneva Eldringhoff, her son-in-law H. Wayne Arnold, DVM and one grandson, Robben Wayne Arnold. Survivors include one brother-in-law Aloysius Eldringhoff of West Plains, Missouri: daughter Robben Perkins-Arnold, grandson, Remington Wade Arnold-Penny, and granddaughter Amber Rose Arnold, all of Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England.

Funeral service will be Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10:30 am at Christ Church Episcopal, Lexington.  Interment will also be on Monday at 1:00 pm at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Church Episcopal.  Memories and condolences may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home, 1720 South Street, Lexington, MO  64067, 660-259-2245.