Patsy Nixon Perkins, born July 2, 1932, passed peacefully on April 14, 2026.

Patsy was one of the most practical and honest people her family knew. She grew up in the farm country of rural North Carolina, and that upbringing helped shape the strength, humility, and resilience that defined her life. She carried herself with quiet dignity, plainspoken wisdom, and a loving nature that made others feel cared for, safe, and welcome.

She was also a devoted wife to a career military husband and carried the family through the many demands and separations that come with military life. During multiple deployments, Patsy provided the steady strength, love, and stability that held her family together.

Her gifts as a mother and caregiver extended far beyond her immediate household. Patsy possessed deeply ingrained mothering instincts that touched not only her children and grandchild, but also nieces, extended family, and all those who found comfort in her steady presence. The love, values, and care she shared will live on in future generations.

She was preceded in death by Roy Mitchell Perkins, USMC Retired; her parents, John Wesley Hurdle and Margaret Ann Nixon; and her sisters, Helen Jordan, Eleanor Jean Vick, Edna Earle Marlowe, Barbara Hurdle Bush, Gloria Faye Terry, and Diane Hurdle Riddick.

She is survived by her daughter, Patsy Ann Phelps of Hertford; her grandson, Aaron Christopher Lee and his wife, Tammy Lee; her great-granddaughter, Michaela Lee; her son, Dwight Mitchell Perkins and his husband, David B. Edwards of Towson, Maryland; her sister, Sandra Evon Sands; her brother, Ronald Anderson Cash; and her niece, Donia “Dee” Winslow.

Patsy’s life was a testament to honesty, endurance, and love expressed through everyday acts of care. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home, 1125 Harvey Point Road, Hertford, NC is assisting the Phillips family with arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com