Shirley June (Sample) Perkins

Shirley June “Pug” Perkins passed away peacefully in her sleep, April 10, 2023 at Heron Place in Nampa Idaho.

Pug was born in Fresno, California April 18, 1936 to her parents Bud and June Sample.

Pug attend high school in Clovis California and four days after graduation in 1954 married Girard Perkins.

Pug and Girard raised cattle on their Tollhouse California ranch and forest permit in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They trailed the cattle and packed into cow camp 15 miles from the end of the road for the summer.

In April 1957 Cowan Perkins was born and in June made this first trip to cow camp in front of Pug on her horse trailing cows.

In February 1959 Speed Perkins was born and in June made his first trip to cow camp in the same manner.

In 1961 Pug and Girard sold the Tollhouse ranch and bought the Double O ranch from Virgil Moon. They raised cattle and their two boys at the double O ranch, shipping the weaners and cull cows to their holdings in California to sell the following spring.

In January 1973 Girard passed away after a long illness leaving Pug to run the ranch and raise two teenage boys.

Pug was a cowgirl, she loved all aspects of ranch life. She could do anything she set her mind to and she would jump in with both feet and full speed ahead. Pug would always take the long circles when moving cattle. The days were never to long, to hot, to cold, to windy or had too much snow, as long as she was horseback, she was smiling and happy. She loved branding calves, sorting pairs, calving cows, and turning out and gathering cattle.

Pug loved running wild horses and several times she would come home from the desert with a colt she had found off by itself, she would rope and load it in truck all by herself to bring to colt home. This was in the days before horse trailers were common.

Pug loved her two boys. She loved the ranch, her cow horses, the good dogs and her family and friends.

Pug and longtime friend Bill Owen raised bucking bulls and helped put on bull ridings in Arizona and New Mexico with the Casper Bacca Rodeo Company for many years.

Pug was a very talented artist. She painted several pictures for friends and family. She would draw cartoons about day to day life on the ranch. She made her own Christmas cards, Birthday cards as well as little drawings of wildlife.

Pug had a sense of humor which could find something funny in just about anything. She loved playing a good joke or prank on people and often laughed at herself for her own wrecks and screw ups.

Pug was involved in starting the Oregon Barrel Racing Association and served as secretary/treasurer. Pug and Linda Peila traveled to many barrel races together. Pug was involved with the High School Rodeo State finals, held here in Burns, she ramrodded all the girls’ events. She was also a 4-H Horse Club leader.

In 1995 Pug sold the Double ranch and bought a ranch in Hugo, Oklahoma. Pug lived on her place in California, while her son Speed lived and ran the ranch in Oklahoma.

In 2000 she sold the remainder of her holdings in California and purchased adjoining properties to the Hugo, Oklahoma ranch where she lived and raised cattle.

In 2014 Pug bought a place in Harney County across the highway from Cowan and Missy, selling most of her interest in the Oklahoma ranch. Pug said, it was sure good to be back home in Harney County and she was never leaving again.

In 2017 Pug had a life changing stroke and was unable to get out and about as much as she would have liked. In November of 2022 complications from the stroke and failing health forced her to Heron Place an assisted living facility in Nampa, Idaho.

Pug is preceded in death by her parents Bud and June Sample, Sister Sally Sharer and husband Girard Perkins.

Pug is survived by her son Cowan Perkins and Missy Ousley, son Speed Perkins and wife Coleen Perkins, Granddaughters: Tisha Perkins, Shyla Bacon and husband Spencer Bacon, Breanna Perkins, Great grandchildren: July and Stella Bacon and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial service will be held Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 11:00 am in the Burns Elks Lodge #1680. A Fellowship luncheon will follow the service in the The Elk's.

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