Don Perkins, whose ‘heart belonged to Wittenberg,’ dies at 84

Perkins wouldn’t have traded his position for anything. He referred to the game being played that fall day in Springfield as “green and leafy football.”

Perkins, who died on Friday at 84 after battling health issues for several years, spent 27 years at Wittenberg in public relations and remained close to the school after retiring in 1997.

“His heart belonged to Wittenberg,” Don’s wife Marilyn Perkins said Monday. “That’s why the memorial is going to be there.”

A service will be held in Wittenberg’s Weaver Chapel at 1 p.m. on Sept. 18. Visitation will take place from noon to 1. The memorial will also be streamed live at LittletonandRue.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Buckhorn Children’s Foundation.

Perkins was born in 1936 in Sassafras, Ky., according to his obituary. He was the sixth child of DeWitt and Ada Manning Perkins. The family moved to Ohio, and Perkins graduated from Stivers High School in Dayton in 1954 and the University of Dayton in 1958. He earned a master’s degree from Miami University in 1964.

In the 1960s, Perkins was hired as the sports information director at Central State University. A 1967 Dayton Daily News story quoted Perkins talking about the direction of the program.

“We got to the point where we either had to upgrade our athletic program to a worthwhile level or let it go to an intramural level,” Perkins said. “In order to increase the size of our crowds, we had to attract the local fans, and in order to do that, we had to attract local players, and in order to do that, we had to attract a local coach.”

Central State hired former Xenia High School coach Tom Stephenson that year. Perkins’ excellence was recognized when Central State inducted him into its hall of fame in 1993.

Perkins moved to Wittenberg in 1970 and helped arrange campus visits by Sports Illustrated and ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” during his time at sports information director while promoting 20 athletes who earned All-America honors.

In 1976, Perkins was promoted to director of public relations at Wittenberg. He served in that position until his retirement.

“He went to work every day doing what he loved to do,” Marilyn said.

Wittenberg football coach Joe Fincham, who arrived at Wittenberg as an assistant coach in 1990 and took over the head coaching duties in 1996, remembers Perkins’ booming voice and strong public-speaking skills. That’s why he invited Perkins to speak to the team in the preseason several times over the years.

Perkins also visited Fincham’s office from time to time after a tough loss.

“He would always have a good story or a good message,” Fincham said. “He did a good job of calming you down.”

When Fincham saw a report of Perkins’ death on Twitter last week, he wrote, “Don Perkins was a Tiger to his core. He worked tirelessly representing Wittenberg, was a wonderful family man and a friend to all that knew him.”

Perkins earned many honors for his work. He was giving the Frank M. Ashmore Award, according to his obituary, for his “career contributions to the field of college public relations as a lecturer, author and mentor.” Wittenberg inducted him into its Hall of Honor in 2002, and he received the Honorary Alumnus Award in 1989 and the Class of 1914 Award in 1993.

Perkins was active in the community in Springfield, serving on the board of directors for the United Way, Community Hospital and the Springfield Urban League.

Perkins is survived by: his wife of 39 years, Marilyn; son Daniel, of Springfield; daughters Julie (Thomas) Porter of Cedar Hill, TN., and Tamara Dodds of Dublin, Ohio; grandchildren, Megan and Kylie Porter and Cameron Foster; great grandson Maddox Ramsey; sister, Jeanetta Ursich of Phoenix, Ariz; and nieces and nephews Ron Lowe, Claudia Stewart, Linda Lobo, Mark Ursich and Kyle Duff and several great-nieces and nephews.