ASHFM Honoured Member Passes Away

February 13, 2012

A City less Perky

By FRED RINNE Herald-Tribune Editor-in-Chief

In speaking to so many people over the past few days about Perky McCullough, the word “void” was repeatedly used. As in the void that has been created in our community by her passing Saturday morning after losing her battle with cancer. She was 76. To list all of her accomplishments would take two full newspapers and endless days of research to do her any form of justice, but suffice it to say, there have been very few sports, sporting events, community projects and organizations she hasn’t touched in some way. McCullough was “Perky” in demeanour, in attitude, in enthusiasm as well as in name.

A true pioneer in many ways, she was “a doer,” “somebody who always got the job done. “She’s the type of person, when you lose them, it creates a void that cannot be filled by just one person; it’s impossible.” – Bobby Martens Grande Prairie Storm business manager Don Moon says there was nobody like Perky when there was a task at hand. “She was one of the first people we approached when we sought to host the Royal Bank Cup,” said Moon. “She knew how to get things done, and if she didn’t, she found someone who could. She was great that way.” Moon also remembers her for her tenacity and fearlessness in a sporting community dominated by men. “She was one of the first female umpires – a good fastball player too. I think she was one of the first to break that barrier. And you didn’t want to argue with her either,” Moon remembers fondly.

Perky didn’t stop there. An avid golfer, she broke new ground on the links as well. “I first met Perky as a junior golfer back in the ’70s,” says Grande Prairie Golf & Country Club Director of Golf Bobby Martens. “She would drive us to tournaments, encourage us. She was wonderful.”She would become the first female president of the club, and her legacy lives on. Fitting then that in the year of her passing, the club hired its first female pro in Rhona Law. “She was always a big supporter of mine, and truly that’s what Perky was all about,” said Martens, obviously emotional. “She wanted to grow the game, and she wanted to see young people succeed. I had the utmost respect for Perky. So many times over the past few years I have used her as a sounding board, run ideas by her, and she always had time for me. “She’s the type of person, when you lose them, it creates a void that cannot be filled by just one person; it’s impossible. “It’s an incredibly huge loss for the community.”

•••Born and raised in Peace River, Perky grew up in the age before television. Sports was just about the only entertainment around and she was one of the best. At just age 15, McCullough was already playing on the senior women’s fastball team when most of the players around her were 21. She also loved to curl. Attending a Grades 1-9 school, McCullough had the chance not only to play sports but also to coach the younger kids. Her talents were noticed by those around her. “I remember my high school principal said he wanted me to go through to be a phys. ed. instructor, and I said, ‘No, I want to be a police officer,’” she told the Herald-Tribune in 2004. She did just that, moving to Edmonton at age 21 to join the Edmonton Police Service where she remained for the next 10 years. Even then, she continued to play fastball on several teams. In 1966, she had her first child, left the force, and moved with her husband Bruce to Grande Prairie and stayed. Needing to fill the void of her once busy police life, McCullough jumped with gusto into the local sports scene. She got involved in curling and played fastball, she was involved with the Wapiti Men’s Fastball League and the umpires’ association. As her children got older, they got involved in hockey, golf, and swimming, which also got McCullough involved in the sports. When not actually playing sports, McCullough was always found behind the scenes. Her distinguished career has seen her serve three terms as president of the Alberta Ladies Curling Association. She was also a director on the Alberta Sport Council, chairwoman of the 1986 Alberta Senior Games, chairwoman of the 1989 Alberta Special Olympics and a board member of the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation as well as being involved in the city’s 1980 Alberta Winter Games host committee. She was also director of special projects, Friends of the Games, when Grande Prairie hosted the 1995 Canada Winter Games and the 2010 Arctic Winter Games. Her contributions led her to be awarded the Grande Prairie Volunteer of the Year Award in 1979 and 1983 and the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award.


•••In 2004 she was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame as a multi-sport builder. No kidding. At the time of her induction, she told the Herald-Tribune that volunteering was the most important thing in her life, something that she just had to do. Now retired, that only meant she had more time to volunteer – assuming that was possible. “My husband always made the comment, if I worked as hard at our business as I did at volunteering, we’d be millionaires. But I believe you get out of life what you put into it,” she said. While Perky might be an apt nickname, it’s actually derived from her maiden name, Perkins. Because people just called her Perky all her life, she eventually legally changed her name to it. She entered the Hall of Fame with some pretty heady company: Oiler great Grant Fuhr, figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, cross-country star Beckie Scott, and women’s hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser.
•••Perky quickly became recognized as the person you had to have on board when big projects came along. So says Ken Truhn who headed up the Ford Women’s World Curling Championships held in Grande Prairie in 2006. He first met Perky through fastball circles, but it was in the curling rings that they really forged a life-lasting relationship. “We knew right away that we needed her on the executive committee, and yes, we had her in charge of the volunteers, but we also realized she was capable of much more than that,” says Truhn. “She was fantastic at finding resources, funding, grants... she wasn’t afraid to go after that kind of thing and she was very good at it.” Moon concurs. “When we decided to bid on the 2004 RBC (Canada’s Junior A national championship tournament), we approached Perky and she got us 10 grand to put together the bid package to host. That’s the kind of person she was. She’ll be missed for sure.”

She was also instrumental in the formation of another community sports tradition: the Grande Prairie Regional College Classic. It celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and remains one of the key fundraisers for the college. Carman Haakstad worked with Perky on not only the College Classic, but also the Canada Winter Games and Royal Bank Cup committees. “She was certainly involved in the original College Classic committee, and then many years later she returned again to volunteer and she was honoured by having the trophy – the McCullough Cup - named for her in honour of her countless hours of volunteerism,” he said. “Everyone knew, if a job needed to be done, Perky would get it done, no doubt. That was Perky. She’ll be sadly missed.” Says Martens: “Perky just had a way about her, she was always there when you needed her help, she never said no. She was tremendous for this community. The magnitude of the loss is unbelievable.” “It absolutely leaves a gaping hole in this community, no doubt about it,” concurred Truhn.

We’ll give Perky herself the last word on capturing her enduring character, again from 2004: “How I look at it is if you decide that you’re going to retire and not participate in the community activities then you’re missing out on so much because you don’t keep up with what’s happening in the community. You’re not part of the community, you’re just living in the community.” Well said. Perky leaves to mourn her husband Bruce and sons Nolan and Pat and their families. Funeral arrangements were not known at press time. –With files from Kevin Crush/DHT and ASHOF archives.