Kay Perkins Lyman

May 18, 1915 ~ September 15, 2010
Kay Perkins Lyman, 95, passed away Wednesday, September 15, 2010, in Blackfoot, ID, where he had been staying at the home of his daughter, Deana Day.
He was born May 18, 1915, in Blanding, UT to Edward P. and Irene Perkins Lyman. Kay was always proud of the fact that he was, if not the first, one of the first babies born in Blanding after the name was changed from Grayson.
Kay was a graduate of San Juan High School and attended Brigham Young University for three years. He was not able to complete his degree there because of severe hay fever and asthma.
Although he never received his degree, he continued to have a lifelong love for learning and encouraged his children to get an education, making many personal sacrifices to assure that.
Soon after his graduation from high school, Kay worked for several months for the Civilian Conservation Corp. He also learned and practiced auto mechanics with his father and Lynn Lyman in the old Grayson Garage.
Kay and his brother, DeAlton, trained and worked together installing heating systems, which led him to his lifelong vocation as a heating and sheet metal contractor. He was considered a master craftsman by those he worked with.
Kay served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Northern California from 1940 to 1942 with the same mission president his father had served under in the Northern States Mission 35 years earlier. His mission was a great blessing in his life, the greatest being that he met the woman who would become his wife, Velma Hansen.
By the time Velma returned from her mission, Kay had entered the service, so their courtship consisted mainly of correspondence while he was stationed in Europe during World War II. They were married in the Manti Temple on May 10, 1946, just ten days after he returned home.
In time, they welcomed eight children to their home. Even with the demands of a vocation and supporting his family, Kay had a way of always putting his family and the Church first. He involved his children in his business, and they worked side-by-side through the years. He always took time to support his children in their activities.
Kay also found great joy in his church service. He spent many years serving as a stake missionary and stake mission president, and served for 19 consecutive years teaching the gospel doctrine class in Sunday school. He served for over 30 years as stake patriarch, welcoming young people into his home and enjoying his association with them.
Kay had a great love for Blanding and all of the San Juan area, and for the many good people here.
He enjoyed farming, hunting, jeeping to the Hole-in-the-Rock, and sightseeing among all the beauties of this land. Lines from a poem he once wrote describe his feelings for this choice area: “San Juan, where nature’s hand has been a bounteous giver in this great part of our glorious land of America. San Juan, with its wonderful people, making it what really counts most.”
Kay was sad to leave his beloved home almost three years ago and longed to return, but he was quick to find the beauty and good in his new surroundings.
He loved people wherever he was, and everyone knew that. He was well loved and will be missed.
He is survived by eight children, Charles, of Blanding, MaryKay (Michael) McGrew of Muncie, IN, SueZan (Merlin) Morgan of Blackfoot, ID, Velyn (Bob) Corbett of Spring City, UT, Deana (Paul) Day of Blackfoot, ID, Grant (Barbara) of Hesperia, CA, Platte (Leah) of Blackfoot, ID, and Ben (Lolly) of San Antonio, TX; 42 grandchildren; and 60 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Rene (Art) Morin.
He is preceded in death by his wife, three brothers, one sister, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A viewing is Friday, September 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at San Juan Mortuary in Blanding and Saturday, September 25 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Blanding LDS Stake Center.
Funeral services are Saturday, September 25, at 11 a.m. at the Blanding LDS Stake Center. Interment in the Blanding Cemetery.