Winter Haven, FL - James Russell Perkins, 85, of Winter Haven, FL formerly of Danville, VA , passed away Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008 at Winter Haven Hospital due to complications from Parkinson Disease.

 Born to James Wiley and Elizabeth Shelton Perkins, Feb. 24, 1922 in Danville, VA, he moved to Winter Haven in 1996 after retiring from Mutual Savings Bank in Danville as the President and Chairman of the Board of the Bank.  While in Danville, he was a long term member of First Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon.  He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Winter Haven; he was a veteran of WWII  having served in the U.S. Army in the European Theater.  Russell was a graduate of Virginia Tech; Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Virginia Savings and Loan League from June 1977 thru July 1978; Served on Board of Mutual Saving Bank; Mutual Mortgage of the Piedmont , Inc.; The Salvation Army Advisory Board; Board of Directors for the United States League of Savings Institutions; President for the Board of Directors Danville Life Saving and First Aid Crew from 1967 –1968 and 1977; member of Board of Directors for the Virginia College Fund 1972-1976; a member of the Virginia Tech Alumni Century Club;  Long Standing Member of the Kiwanis Club International; Served as Director of the Soaring Society of America, Region 4; and holder of the Diamond Badge Achievement Award in the Soaring Society of America. 

 He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Nancy Herndon Perkins in 1991.

 He is survived by his wife, Barbara Newton Perkins; 2 daughters, Elizabeth Perkins Hall of Danville, VA and Claire Perkins Wilkie of Boone, NC; a sister, Lenora Perkins Fowler of Richmond, VA; and four grandchildren, Richard Murdock Wilkie, Jr., Emily Russell Hall, Sarah Bruce Hall and Lauren Elise Hobgood.

 A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, February 23, 2008 at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 2425 Havendale Blvd., Winter Haven, FL 33881.  In lieu of flowers the family has requested that Memorials be made in his name to the American Parkinson Disease Association at www.apdaparkinson.org.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.oakridgefuneralcare.com.