James A. Perkins

James Alan Perkins, 60, passed away Friday, April 4, 2025.

Jimmy was loved and admired by many friends and colleagues, but it is his devoted family who will miss him for all time, especially his wife of 34 years, Leigh Brown Perkins, and their three deeply loved sons, MacCray James Perkins, Benjamin Aidan Perkins, and Becket Turner Perkins.

Born in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jimmy grew up in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, running wild in the creeks, roaming the woods, skiing the black diamonds at Camelback, and generally making up his own good time, his particular gift in life. As a finance major at the University of Florida, he continued to run wild, soaking up the Florida lifestyle as only a college boy can. On one such night at the Purple Porpoise, he collided “accidentally” with Leigh Brown at the bar. He was there instead of studying for an exam; she was there using her sister’s ID. Barely out of their teens, they were instantly inseparable, running a bit wild together in Gainesville and then settling down to build a meaningful and fulfilling life in South Florida.

Jimmy was so good at so many things, including his work in sales development. He started his career with M&C Specialties in Pennsylvania, where he made many lifelong friends. His long tenure there was followed by successful stints with a number of global organizations, including Lohmann Technologies in Germany and BBI Solutions in the UK.

Work, though, was never his purpose in life. Family was. He was proud of and committed to his boys, and loved nothing more than participating with them in every one of their interests. At 10, Mac was into skateboarding, so Jimmy built a half-pipe in the garage, and broke his own ankle dropping in. At 8, when Ben was learning piano, Jimmy bought a guitar so they could play music together, a talent none of us knew he had until he was in his 40s. At 12, Beck got the basketball bug, so Jimmy not only shot endless free throws with him in the driveway, but he also volunteered as his rec coach and cheered with him at Miami Heat games, a real act of love for a Boston Celtics fan.

Music and sports were essential to Jimmy’s life. When the kids were grown, he and Leigh destroyed their eardrums at many a concert, from Jack White in New Orleans to Maria McKee in New York City to Band of Horses in Tallahassee. He would stay up late teaching himself their favorite songs, to play along on the guitar while Leigh sang. He loved the Gators, and would have gone wild when the University of Florida won the 2025 college championship, sadly just a few days after his passing. He was an outstanding if slightly wild golfer. He played endless rounds of cutthroat tennis with Leigh, and just as cutthroat rounds of board games and Jeopardy with the family when cancer slowed him down. Leigh often called him the luckiest man alive because he would always find some way to win at any game, from backgammon to ping-pong.

Jimmy traveled widely, even after his melanoma diagnosis: Hiking in Portugal, exploring the culinary delights of Spain, showing Leigh the quiet pleasures of Ireland, and running a little wild out West with the boys. He is gone too soon, but he lived a rich life full of love. Jimmy will be remembered with profound gratitude and love by his wife and sons, his mother Judith Perkins of Aiken, S.C., sister Janelle Hantjis of Greenville, S.C., and brother Jack Perkins of Savannah, Ga., plus his mother-in-law Leni Brown whom he adored, nieces and nephews Jimmy loved dearly, and friends far and wide who never let him forget how his optimism and fun-making ways had touched their lives. We are all the lucky ones to have known him.

Those who wish to honor James Perkins may make a donation in his name to Treasure Coast Hospice or the Guardian Ad Litem program.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 6:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 717 Prosperity Farms Road, North Palm Beach, FL officiated by Pastor Ron Hilliard.

Online condolences and expressions of sympathy can be made by visiting www. Martin-Funeral.com