Camillia A. Perkins, 81

LAKE WALES, Fla. — Camillia Ann Perkins, affectionately known as Tinka by those lucky enough to know her, passed away on November 7, 2020 at her home in Lake Wales, Florida with her family by her side after a short battle with cancer.

She was born in Laconia, NH on November 24, 1939. The eldest daughter of Frank A. Shaw and Everne ‘Covey’ Shaw. She was predeceased by her husband, Francis S. Perkins in 1996, and her two sisters, Patricia Granger and Andrea Shaw.

Tinka attended schools in Laconia, NH and Auburndale, Florida, graduating in Auburndale. She would spend her summers in Meredith, working as a lifeguard at Leavitt Beach. It was on the bicycle rides home after her shift was over, that a pesky boy kept offering her rides home in his cool convertible. She finally accepted the ride one day, and thus began a lifelong friendship, and lifelong love with her husband Francis. Tinka and Francis spent all their time together, enjoying hunting, fishing, and camping trips, and snowmobiling all over New Hampshire. Trips outside New England would often take them to Nova Scotia as well, a destination they especially enjoyed.

They shared the 00 "Double Zero" ice racing car, in which Tinka drove in the Powder Puff Ladies Division, run on the ice of Meredith Bay. They did so well as a race team that they were often pictured in the Meredith News and the Union Leader. One fond memory of the ice racing days is when all the men got together and convinced Tinka that a pro lady ice racer from up North had heard about her back-to-back wins every weekend and was coming down to challenge her. With one of the fastest guys wearing a wig for this elaborate prank, Tinka promptly out-drove the other ‘lady’ and took first place once again.

In the 70s, Tinka continued putting her driving skills to good use. She drove buses for Spragues, which provided transportation for the Inter-Lakes School District. In the 80s, she and Francis started Francis S. Perkins Painting Co., which they ran until 1988 when Francis contracted Leukemia. Thus, prompted a retirement of the business and a move to Florida. Francis passed in 1996.

Tinka, being of the old times, married for life, reinvented herself as a world traveler, traveling with other widowed friends, Beth, Laurel, Nancy, Pat, Cindy and Jane. She amassed over 30 trips all over the world, some as long as 30-day extended tours of different countries. The favorite trip of the group became the many cruises available out of Florida. Tinka and her friend Beth would arrange all the trips, for which the Cruise Lines paid them with free accommodations.

She started her own ‘Uber Service’ way before the time this commonly known business was even thought of. Tinka provided a valuable service for her community and made quite a living taking people to the airport, doctor’s appointments, shopping trips and important errands. It wasn’t unusual for her to put 80,000 miles on her car per year, and only stopped her ‘Uber Service’ at the age of 78. Right through her late seventies, Tinka was still confidently driving solo up and down the East Coast and logged more yearly miles than many drivers drive in a decade.

She was loved and respected as the go-to lady in her community of Walden Shores in Lake Wales. If you needed directions, dinner suggestions, the best time of year to visit the Orlando Parks, which cruise line offered the best deals, she always had the right answers.

She is survived by her three children, Son Allan and daughter-in-law, Pam, son, Frank and daughter-in-law, Erin and daughter, Tabitha and son-in-law, Tracy. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Samantha, Joshua, Jacob, Cortland, Michael and Samuel.

She will surely be missed but will forever live in our hearts. A private burial with immediate family is planned for spring 2021 next to Francis at the Meredith Center Cemetery.