SHANNON COUNTY DEMOCRAT
Sep. 4, 1941
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REMUS PERKINS FATALLY BURNED IN EXPLOSION

A terrible tragedy occurred in our county late last Wednesday evening, when Remus Perkins, a business man of Winona, lost his life as the result of burns suffered in a kerosene explosion.
     Mr. Perkins, who was owner of Perkins Gables in Winona, was on an outing down on Current River, at the club house of Dr. H. D. Rollins. According to the reports of the tragedy, he picked up a five-gallon can of kerosene and started to pour some of the contents into an oil stove. It seems that the stove and can of oil both must have exploded, as the roof of the cabin was blown completely off, according to Walter Simpson, who was an eye witness, according to our information.
     Remus was badly burned by the flames. Miss Alice Faires, his only companion at the time, was not in the cabin at the time of the explosion, and escaped injury. With her help, Mr. Perkins succeeded in escaping from the burning cabin. Some difficulty was encountered in getting the injured man to a physician, as the pickup they were driving stalled, and Miss Faires was compelled to go a considerable distance and summon a car to bring Mr. Perkins home.
     (A few words missing......)....his brother, Doc Perkins, immediately started to the Rolla Hospital with him and at Rolla it was decided to go on to a St. Louis hospital. But his injuries were so serious that nothing could be done for him, and he passed away in St. Louis Thursday afternoon.
     The remains were brought to Winona for interment, which was on Saturday.
     Our entire community is shocked by this tragedy in our midst.

NOTE:

Remus was the son of Oscar Perkins & Viola Prewett. He was born in 1906. He is buried beside his brother Talmadge 'Doc' Perkins at the Pine Lawn Cemetery, Winona.