Larry Wayne Perkins, 80, of Kilgore, departed his Earthly journey for the beauty of Heaven on February 12, 2026 at his home in Kilgore surrounded by his loving family.
He was the youngest child of Boyce and Josephine Perkins, born August 23, 1945 in Oakdale, LA. He was raised in Pitkin, LA where he attended Pitkin Schools and was an outstanding basketball player. He graduated from Pitkin High in 1963.
Larry was blessed to receive a full basketball scholarship to Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University) in Pineville, LA. He loved LC and its ability to afford him a college education. It was there that he met the love of his life, Judy Ann Griffin. They married April 6, 1968 in Pineville Park Baptist Church in Pineville, LA., and to this union two beautiful daughters were born, Penni Leanne Perkins on June 27, 1970 and Jana Layne Perkins on January 24, 1974.
Larry received great success in his passion of playing basketball. Following graduation with a BA in Education, he earned a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision and later received a Master’s Plus 30 degree for advanced work in Education from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA.
For 10 years he coached High School Basketball at Fairview and Oakdale High Schools and was named Coach of the Year twice. His last 4 years in education were at Louisiana State University-Alexandria in building their basketball and baseball programs.
From these successful beginnings in Louisiana, he moved his family to Kilgore, TX in 1981. It was in Kilgore that he began his career as a very well-respected Insurance Agent for State Farm Insurance. In those 38 years as an agent, he grew his State Farm agency to one of the largest customer bases in East Texas. Due to his caring work with his policyholders, he received many accolades and awards. Some of those accolades included being a Member of the Honor Club, the Bronze Tablet and the Silver Scroll. He was also a multi-year 5-Star Agent and a 27 Year member of the Ambassadors Travel Club. And as a result, together with Judy, they became pillars in the Kilgore community.
He also had a strong presence in community service in Kilgore. Larry served as the President of the United Way of Kilgore, twice President of the East Texas Treatment Center, Vice President of Roy H. Laird Country Club and on the Planning and Zoning Board for the City of Kilgore. He was also a member of the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce and the Kilgore Lions Club.
While in Kilgore he was a 45-year active member of First Baptist Church of Kilgore where he was ordained as a deacon in 2007. This bolstered an already strong Christian faith and led to a lifetime of service to his church and to God. As part of his many years of service to First Baptist Church of Kilgore, he was a College Sunday School Teacher and served on the Personal, Finance and Nehemiah Renovation Committees. His ultimate passion was his Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church of Kilgore.
One of his favorite accomplishments was being honored as the Louisiana Christian University Distinguished Alumni in 2022. His outstanding involvement in being on the Board of Visitors to help raise money for student scholarships was a great source of accomplishment for him. Sharing his respect for being granted an education there motivated him in the project.
While Larry held many important and impressive titles in his life, he was affectionately known as a wonderful husband, a loving father, PawPaw and a mentoring riend. Family was superior to all areas of his life and he never put anything in front of their needs. He loved nothing more than having his family all together, whether at home, at the lake, or on family trips. Larry was very involved in the lives of his daughters Penni and Jana. Penni was a golf buddy and played golf for Baylor University. Jana was his special Kilgore College Rangerette.
Larry was known for his adventurous spirit with a passion for golfing, hunting and fishing. He and Judy shared a love for traveling. They traveled the Continental United States in their Foretravel motorhome for 27 years. They also traveled extensively Internationally on small riverboat cruises. All these adventures afforded him the opportunity to meet and make great lifetime friends.
But whether working in insurance, raising his daughters, watching over the grandkids or participating in church, besides God and his family, Larry Perkins’ true love was his family farm in the Pirtle Community just outside the city limits of Kilgore. He and Judy built the farm into a showplace, adding on to the original house several rooms, a covered patio, a guesthouse, garage and RV shed over the years. He and Judy hosted numerous family events, church friends and Louisiana College Basketball Reunions at his beloved farm. If you knew Larry Perkins, you knew the farm was a very important place for him, from the early 1990s until the final days of his life.
Those to go before Larry were his parents: Boyce and Josephine Perkins, sister, Gertrude Perkins Bisese, Father and Mother-in Law: Rev. James A. Griffin and Mary Virginia “Bootsie” Griffin, Brother-in Law: James E Griffin and niece Rhonda Carol Griffin.
Larry’s heart was always with his family. Left to cherish the memory of this Godly man are his loving wife of 57 years, Judy Perkins, of Kilgore; daughters Penni Perkins of Sulphur Springs, TX and Jana Perkins of Kilgore. Larry’s legacy continues with his grandchildren: Joshua James Perkins of Henderson and Josey Leanne Perkins of Sulphur Springs, TX who brought him an abundance of pride and happiness.
In addition to his immediate family, Larry is survived by his Sister-in Law Laney Griffin of Albany, GA. Brother-in-Law Charles Bisese of Longview, TX. Niece Nancy Bisese Lanham. Nephews John Bisese and James W. Griffin. Great Nephew Jason Lanham and wife Jocelyn. Cousins Charlene Babcock, Junior Perkins, Linda Perkins, Betty Ruth McCartney, and Rosa Faircloth. There are also several great nieces and nephews and a multitude of wonderful friends.
Larry and Judy had two biological daughters, but there was much more room in their hearts to share so they “adopted” several individuals during their time in Kilgore. These extended family brought much joy to him. They included Randy Thomas, Tim and Nancy Reagan, David and Susie Marek, Joel and Julie Still, Frank and Margaret Matthews, Dirk and Laura Hill, Josee Libebele, Christian, Jessica, Zoe, David and Pierre Libebele, Ben, Nadine, Jonathan, Anael and blank Tibeme and Pauline and Belinda Libebele.
A celebration of Life is planned for 2:00 pm on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at First Baptist Church of Kilgore with Dr. Glenn Young and Pastor Lynn Sasser officiating.
Graveside services will follow in the Danville Cemetery in Kilgore. Visitation is planned for Monday, February 16, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Rader Funeral Home of Kilgore.
Pallbearers are His Louisiana College Basketball Teammates: Don Bates, CJ Butler, Billy Jones, Gary LeCaze, Buddy Tuminello and Alan Williams along with dear friends David Horton, Dr. Jerry Ted Roberts and Howard Shipp. Honorary Pallbearers are additional LC Basketball teammates David Mitchell, Gene Rushing and Ricky Reese, his FBCK Sunday School Class, Deacons of FBCK and Former State Farm Agents. In lieu of flowers, family request donations can be made to Louisiana Christian University to The Legacy Impact Fund, First Baptist Church of Kilgore’s Mission Fund or to Kilgore College Athletic Department.
Special thanks to Right at Home and Hospice of East Texas for their loving and compassionate care and his personal caregivers Nikita Garrett, Tiara McEntire and Autumn McClure who attended to him so lovingly.
