Wanda Gean Perkey

Wanda Gean Phillips Perkey, age 90, of Cave City, Arkansas died peacefully on September 27, 2026 at Batesville, Arkansas. She was born June 10, 1936 near Sandtown, Independence County, Arkansas to Robert Ernest and Jessie Detherow Phillips.Wanda went to the one room school at Pine Springs near Sandtown, for her first schooling. She later attended school at Cave City and in Texas and California as her dad was being processed into the Army during World War II. After they moved back to Arkansas, she attended school at Cave City until they moved to Batesville in 1949, when she entered school at Batesville, graduating there in 1955.

Wanda married C.W. Perkey on November 28, 1957, after which they built a house in Cave City, which remained their family home for the next 64 years. Wanda was a member of the Methodist Church most of her life. She joined the Gray’s Chapel Methodist Church in 1949 and remained active at the Hickory Valley Methodist Church (after her marriage in 1957) and later at Flat Rock/Cave City First United Methodist Church. She was an active and stalwart member of the choir, taught Sunday School, Bible School, helped provide meals, was involved with the Ministerial Alliance, and devoted a good deal of her energies toward decorating the church.

Wanda was a stay at home mom during the formative years of her children’s lives. At times, after the kids started school, she went to secretarial school, worked as a clerk tabulating a farm census, and sold Avon. She was also active in the Aurora Study Club and the Extension Homemakers. Wanda enjoyed reading, working in her yard, traveling with the Citizens Bank Travel Club, and being Boo to her grandsons. In the mid 1970s, Wanda started college at what was then Arkansas College and obtained her Early Childhood Education. She taught 4th grad at Cave City Elementary School for 11 years, after which she received her Master’s Degree in Elementary Counseling from ASU in Jonesboro. She then served 11 years as the Elementary Counselor at Cave City Elementary School for another 11 years. Wanda was also an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the National Honor Society for Women Educators. During part of this time and after her retirement, Wanda served on the Board at the Cave City Nursing Home.

Survivors include her son, Gary Perkey (Cindy) of Batesville, AR; one sister, Opal Hill of Parkville, MO; two grandsons, Alex Perkey of Batesville, AR and Shaun McHalffey of Van Buren, AR; two nephews, Kendall Ballard of Blue Springs, MO and Harrel Turner of Marthasville, MO; and one niece, Cathy Robertson (Jim) of Madison, MS; along with several great and great-great nieces and nephews; and many friends.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents; a baby sister, Ruby Lee; her daughter, Rita Perkey; her husband, C. W. Perkey; and her nieces, Donna Ballard Ayers and Carol Fudge Evans.

Visitation will be held at Qualls Batesville Funeral Service Chapel on Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home on October 3, 2026 with Rev. Dane Womack officiating. Burial will follow in the Cave City Cemetery with arrangements by Qualls Funeral Homes.

Pallbearers will be Scott Breckenridge, Marty Miller, Jon Patterson, Greg Prax, Steven Staggs, and Reid Womack.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cave City First United Methodist Church at 217 North Main Street, Cave City, AR 72521.

The family would like to thank the staff of Caring Hands Hospice, Woodlawn Heights Nursing Home, Eagle Mountain Assisted Living, and White River Health for their professional care during the decline of our loved one.