HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A legend in Hutchinson Radio has passed away at the age of 88 after a short battle with cancer. Many will remember Wilma “Perky” Perks as the voice that no one could mistake.
It was 26 years ago when “Perky’s Party Line” left the airwaves on Eagle Radio Station KWBW. A normal day of calls would come in and sound something like, “Hey Perky, I’ve got some maternity clothes and a couple of rabbits I would like to sell.” That was an example given by former KWBW Station Manager and current Reno County Commissioner Dan Deming
Perky hosted the program until 1991 when she retired after 34 years in local broadcasting. Of course, the Party Line program is still a staple on BW Radio, running daily from 10 to 11 a.m.
Deming called Perks “a pioneer in Kansas Radio with the first regular daily show of its kind at a time when women were rarely heard on the radio.”
He also recalls that the show was created at a time when telephone lines were shared by several households, inviting listeners to call in with buy, trade and sell items. The show has only had three regular voices since it went on the air six decades ago.
Of course, it was much more than billboarding items, Deming says Perky used her daily exposure to help hundreds, if not thousands, of people. With a deeply religious background, she would learn of someone or organization in need of money or items and immediately voice that concern. Her loyal audience would normally respond to resolve problems that same day providing medicine or even money for a used car.
“Countless people benefited in Hutchinson and Reno County from Perky’s seemingly unending generosity and her willingness to help those less fortunate,” Deming said.
The Party Line show began when then-station manager Fred Conger started a 15-minute talk show interview program from the downtown Baker Hotel, now known as Plaza Towers. Conger thought a trade and sale show following his program might be attractive to listeners, and it was. Most every person who lived in Hutchinson during that time knew who Perky was and what she did, even if they weren’t a daily listener.
Perky also volunteered for a variety of community projects including being a longtime hospital and shut-in visitor for First Christian Church in Hutchinson, where she held virtually every leadership role.
Hutchinson Mayor Jon Daveline, who was familiar with Perks when he was Chamber of Commerce President, noted that many people today are unaware of her work and importance to the community since she retired more than a quarter of a century ago. “Perky’s contributions to Hutchinson and serving others is something we rarely see today,” Daveline said.
Those BW and KHUT radio station employees who worked with Perky will remember that she never forgot anyone’s birthday. She always made a big lunch that covered the Morning Show table to celebrate a staff member’s birthday.
Perky chose not to take treatment because of its aggressiveness. One of Perky’s biggest concerns was the fate of her twin 9-year-old brother and sister cats, “Jack and Jill.” They had never been separated and needed to go to the same home. They were graciously adopted by Joyce Hall, a retired Hutchinson News employee who wanted to ease Perky’s mind.
Perky was a 1947 Hutchinson High School graduate and later attended a local business college. In 1947, she married Dean Perks, who died in 2001. She later married Earl Welch, who died in 2011. Perky was living at the Good Samaritan Village in Hutchinson at the time of her death.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Elliott Mortuary. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Elliot Mortuary and the service time is Wednesday at 11 a.m. the First Christian Church and 5th & Walnut.