OZARK…Mrs. Evelyn J. Perala, a resident of Ozark, died late Friday evening, June 26, 2026, at her home. She was 88.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Chad Ingle officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens. Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home of Ozark is in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Perala, the daughter of the late Jalmar M. Paavola and Alma Armia Bajumpaa Paavola, was born and raised in the quiet countryside of Leaf Lake Township, Minnesota. She grew up surrounded by family, faith, and the simple joys of small‑town life. A proud graduate of New York Mills High School, Class of 1956, she carried her Minnesota roots with her wherever life took her.
After high school, she worked in a small-town doctor’s office as a nursing assistant. She loved that job, and even many years later she would share stories about the people she met and the moments that stayed with her. Caring for others came naturally to her, and those early experiences shaped the gentle, steady way she moved through the world.
In July of 1961, she married the love of her life, Robert H. “Bob” Perala. Their marriage was a true partnership—full of devotion, laughter, and the kind of everyday love that grows stronger with time. As he served in the United States Air Force and later the United States Army, she supported him through every move and every new chapter. Together, they lived in several places across the country before finally settling in Ozark in 1979 when he retired at Fort Rucker. She was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Ozark.
She was a woman of many talents. An excellent seamstress, she could turn a simple piece of fabric into something beautiful. She enjoyed cross‑stitching, reading, and challenging herself with Sudoku and crossword puzzles. She loved to cook, and her kitchen was often filled with the comforting smells of meals made with care. But more than anything, she loved being surrounded by family and friends. Her home was a place where people felt welcome, where conversations lingered, and where love was always present.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of forty‑six years, Robert H. “Bob” Perala (Sergeant First Class, United States Army, Retired), her sister Darlene Russell, and her husband Dwayne Russell. Though she will be deeply missed, her warmth, kindness, and the memories she created will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Surviving relatives include her two daughters, Katrina Stephens (Jeffrey) and Nicole Peters (Chris), all of Ozark; son, Craig Perala (Mary Alice), Robertsdale, Alabama; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Shelton (Corey), Jimmy Stephens (Vanessa), Josh Stephens (Katie Barbaree), Emma Peters, Evan Peters (Clara Bradley), Wesley Smith, Travis Perala (Kelsey), and Ann Marie Robertson (James); great-grandchildren, Stephen Shelton, Cole Brakefield, Ethan Shelton, Riley Shelton, John David Stephens, Rachel Stephens, Hayden Stephens, Graham Perala, Elliana Perala, Archer Smith, and Ava Smith.
Serving as active pallbearers will be Josh Stephens, Jimmy Stephens, Corey Shelton, Evan Peters, Cole Brakefield, and John David Stephens. Honorary pallbearers will be Travis Perala, Wesley Smith, and James Robertson.
You may sign a guest register at www.fuquabankston.com
