Obituary of Janet C. Perkins

Perkins, Janet C. 11/7/1921 1/21/2016 Janet was born November 7, 1921 at the Balmes family home in Detroit, to William F. Balmes Sr. and Corana A. Balmes (Croteau). She was the second of five Balmes children Rosemary, Janet, Marilyn, William Jr., and Donald. She was raised in Detroit, attending various Catholic schools, and graduated as a seamstress from high school. She worked briefly as a seamstress, prior to obtaining a job at Ft. Wayne Ordinance Depot in Detroit, during World War 2. She married Floyd P. Perkins on Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) May 30, 1942. They were married 66 years until Floyd's death, November 23, 2008. Subsequent to Floyd's military service during World War 2, Floyd and Janet moved to Commerce Lake, MI , where they were blessed with three children Floyd 12/26/1946, Geoff 3/10/1949, and Mary Lou 12/25/1950. The family moved to Phoenix, AZ in September 1952, where they stayed until moving back to Commerce, where better employment prospects awaited Floyd, in January 1955. Janet was an excellent homemaker throughout her marriage. Monday was baking day, Tuesday was house cleaning, Wednesday was laundry, Thursday was ironing, and Friday was shopping. Janet lived in an era when all meals and baking were made from scratch. It's doubtful she ever made something out of a box if she could make it from her own ingredients. While in season she canned various vegetables and fruits, and made jams and jellies. Bread was always home made, as were egg noodles for various soups and casseroles. She also lovingly sewed numerous outfits for herself and children Floyd, Geoff, and Mary Lou. She darned socks while watching TV at night instead of throwing them away, as we do now. Torn, worn, or ripped clothing also got mended in the evenings. When the children were all in school, Janet became a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, from which she retired in 1978. At that point Floyd and Janet moved to the north woods of Michigan near Mancelona. In 2008 they relocated to Milford, MI. Throughout their later years, they divided their time between their home up north, and a home in Black Canyon City, AZ. In her last year of life Janet lived with daughter Mary Lou in Hartland, MI. Janet and Floyd loved travelling, loved to square dance with friends Mike and Ruth Balbaugh, Walt and Celeste Lorang, John and Dolly Lorang, Al and Pat Porrit, and Bill and Jackie Balmes. They loved entertaining family and friends at their lake home on Commerce Lake. Almost every summer weekend or holiday included enough family to fill all of the available beds. Kids slept on the floor. They also opened their northern home to many weekend visitors for snowmobiling, motorcycling, 4-wheeling, card playing, bonfires, and great camaraderie. During Janet's years in her senior apartment complex in Milford, she enjoyed participating in many social activities and developed great friendships with her fellow residents. Janet was preceded in death by her parents Bill and Nan, husband Floyd, son Floyd, sisters Rosemary and Marilyn, brothers Bill and Don, and brothers-in-law Cal (Rosemary) Defer, George (Marilyn) Moderacki, and Karl "Boots" (Lois) Fraleigh, son-in-law Tom Landstrom, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Janet is survived by her son Geoff (Lesley) Perkins, daughter Mary Lou (Jim Miklos) Landstrom, daughter-in-law Joann Balbaugh Perkins, grandchildren Kristin (Bill Magliano) Perkins, Angie (Greg) Penzel, Jilly (Carl) Anderson, Joel (Jeanette) Sullivan, Eric (Kristen) Perkins, Lesley (Brian) McMillan, Dale Landstrom, Todd (Karen) Landstrom, and Tim, Melissa, and Joe Miklos. Her great grandchildren are Maxwell and Natalie Simon, Emily and Patrick Sullivan, Madeline Penzel, Ryan and Dylan Perkins, Floyd and Samantha McMillan, Rowan Anderson, Cole, Olga, and Zander Landstrom, Matt and Jessica Landstrom. She is survived by sisters-in-law, Jackie (William) Balmes, Grace Balmes (Ken Schrader), and Lois (Boots) Fraleigh. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. Janet was a caring, kind soul to all she knew or came in contact with. She was a devout Catholic, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, and friend. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. A memorial mass will be held at 11am on Saturday, April 9th, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1955 East Commerce, Milford, MI