May 19, 1934 — January 25, 2025
Charles Moody Perkins, 90 years of age, died in Cleveland Ohio on January 25, 2025. He was born in Lumpkin Georgia, to Bessie and Charles Moody Perkins. He was the eldest of four sons.
At an early age, Charles and his family relocated to Cleveland Ohio, where he attended Second Ebenezer Baptist Church. Charles was considered an outstanding student from his time at John Burrows Elementary School throughout his scholastic career at Central High School. He displayed his athletic prowess at Central as a star center fielder on the baseball team, and later, on a city championship team representing the John H Cloud Florist Co.
Charles took classes at Dyke College, where he met the former Velma Garner. The two fell in love and were wed in 1957. In a union that lasted over 60 years, the marriage of Charles and Velma produced three children.
Blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit and mindset, in his youth,
Charles displayed an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, developing a paper route and working as a Western Union courier. Together with his brothers, Charles started a paving company, FACE Construction. The name was a composition of the first initial of each brother’s first name.
The company ultimately became Seawright/FACE Paving. During Charles’ tenure with Seawright/FACE, two of Charles’s most cherished experiences occurred when he was able to travel to Africa for company job opportunities.
After Seawright/FACE Paving, he started Perk Co. as president and co-owner. Upon retiring, he became a consultant to Choice Construction and Tech Ready Mix, two well-known local construction companies operated by his brother Fred, his sister-in-law Gail, and other family members. Charles’ time in construction led to his involvement with the Buckeye Contractors Association, a group comprised of minority owners across the state.
Affectionately known as “Charlie P”, Charles always liked to help others, in both business as well at his home church, St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Charles served St. Aloysius on the Finance Committee, Finance Council, Men’s Club, and Groundskeeper after his retirement.
Charles was a charter member of The Ohio Association of African American Business Owners Inc and was a lifetime member of both the NAACP and the Knights of Columbus.
Charles’s wife Velma preceded him in death in 2018. Surviving family members include his brothers Argolyn [“Art”], Fred (Gail) and Eddie, Argolyn and Fred (Gail); his daughter Charlotte (Mitchell); sons Reginald (Jackie) and Curtiss (Marlene); his daughter Charlene; grandchildren Charles Dean, Keisha and Shanay Traylor, Reginald Joshua Perkins, Aaron Haynesworth, Marisa James, Curtiss Jr. and Quintin Perkins; great-grandchildren Kailyn Ellington, Charles Jr, Amaya and Canelo Dean, Melanie Davis, A'Lona Middlebrooks, Darionna Perkins and Kayden Perkins, and a host of additional nieces, nephews, cousins, family members and friends.
A memorial mass was held Saturday, February 15, 2025, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 10932 St. Clair Ave [44108].
Donations can be made in Charlie P’s name to Bessie’s Angels.
Final arrangements were entrusted to E. F. Boyd and Son.
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