It is with sadness that her family announces the passing of Mrs. Mary Emily Badger James Perkins, 85, of Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 18, 2025.
Mary enjoyed a day surrounded by her children and love before quietly passing away at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.
Mary was born in Northampton-Accomack Memorial Hospital in Nassawadox on June 3, 1940, the only child of John Tankard Badger Jr. and Mary Emily (Dunton) Badger, of Nassawadox.
Mary graduated from Northampton High School in 1958 and from Radford University in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in education, leading to a teaching career she greatly enjoyed. She cared deeply for her students and colleagues, sharing her dedication, warmth, and smile with all whose lives she touched.
On Aug. 11, 1962, Mary married her high school sweetheart, John “Jack” Edmonds James, at Red Bank Baptist Church. They had three children while living in Richmond before moving to Charlotte.
She is lovingly remembered by her children: Angie James Stadler (Jim), Millie James Driggers (Jason), and John Edmonds James Jr. (Lance), and her seven grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Jack James, to whom she was married for 29 years, in 1991; her granddaughter, Emily Megan Stadler, in 2001; and her second husband, Walter Henry Perkins Jr., to whom she was married for 17 years, in 2022.
Mary, a retired school teacher, valued literacy and tutoring, staying involved outside the classroom walls. She maintained strong ties to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where she built special memories throughout her life. After raising her children in Charlotte, she returned to the Shore for many years before life drew her closer to family again.
She enjoyed growing roses, watching birds — especially hummingbirds — reading, and cherishing time with her family. Even as her memory dimmed, she never forgot the faces of those she held dear. She will be missed and remembered for her gentle spirit, her warmth, her love, and her compassion for others. She will be returned to the Shore that was such a special part of her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Mary’s memory to causes close to her heart: Donors Choose supporting teachers and classrooms in need or to XC Collective Where Miles Matter, which provides financial assistance to student athletes. This foundation, started by her daughter, Millie Driggers, stands as a tribute to Mary’s generous spirit and reflects the legacy she leaves through her children — a legacy of opportunity, kindness, and support that will carry forward for generations to come.
Family and friends who knew Mary were invited to Christ Episcopal Church in Eastville for a celebration of her life, Monday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. Refreshments immediately followed at the Parish House.
Family and friends may sign the guest book at www.hollandfuneralhome.net
Arrangements were by Holland Funeral Home in Nassawadox.
