Services
Obituary
Gene Perkins, 83, of Britt, passed away Monday, October 13, 2025 at MercyOne – North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.
Memorial service for Gene Perkins will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, October 20, 2025, at First Lutheran Church, 70 5th Avenue Northwest in Britt with Pastor Anna Wolf officiating.
Visitation will be held Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 178 Center Street West in Britt and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Monday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for their discretion .
Gene Eldon Perkins, the son of Eldon “Cy” and Henrietta (Fritz) Perkins, was born on June 20, 1942, in Holstein, Iowa. He began his education in Holstein before his family relocated to Sioux Rapids, where he graduated with the Class of 1960.
After high school, Gene attended Northwestern College in Orange City, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree. A talented athlete, he played football and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 team. He went on to further his education at Mankato State University, earning a Master’s Degree in History.
Gene began his long and devoted teaching and coaching career in Irwin and Tripoli, Iowa. In 1976, he was united in marriage to Elaine Hartman Sievers at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple later moved to Lake Mills and eventually settled in Britt in 1983, where Gene continued teaching and coaching until his retirement.
A passionate educator, Gene was known for his memorable sayings in the classroom, including “A little decorum in here!” and “Get your mind green and growing, not brown and molding.” On the field, he was a respected defensive coach known across the state for building tough, physical defenses.
In his free time, Gene enjoyed fishing and was a dedicated fan of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings—but his greatest loyalty was always to his beloved West Hancock Eagle sports teams. Above all, Gene cherished time with his family and deeply missed his wife every day after her passing.
He was a faithful member of First Lutheran Church, a 2016 inductee into the Iowa Football Coaching Hall of Fame, and was honored in 2022 by being inducted into the Britt Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his children Amy Sievers and her children Alisha and Caden Gates of Stillwater, Minnesota, Tony (Lori Schmieg) Sievers of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Steve (Samantha) Perkins and their children Chase and Jack Perkins of Madrid, Iowa; his brother John Perkins; sisters-in-law Verlaine Knoploph and Wilma Franzen along with many extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife Elaine in 2013, sister Judy and brother Russell.