Van “Hat Man” Perkins, 71 of Beaumont died September 15, 2010 at Harbor Hospice in Beaumont.   Funeral service will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Broussard’s in Nederland. Interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches. A gathering of family and friends will be 5:00-8:00 PM, Friday, September 17, 2010 at Broussard’s.   Mr. Perkins was a native of Weirgate and has been a lifelong resident of Beaumont. He was the quarterback for Nederland High School football team the  last time Nederland went to the state play-offs. He was named all district and most valuable back in 1956 and  received the Charles Meyers Award . He enjoyed golf, bowling and lettered in all four sports. He retired from Ameripol-Synpol as a supervisor with forty years of service.   Mr. Perkins was preceded in death by his father, Doyle Perkins. He is survived by his wife, Grace Perkins of Beaumont; daughter, Rhonda Perkins Morgan and her husband Billy of Lumberton,  son, Mark Perkins of Austin; step-daughter, Julia Hand of Beaumont; step-son, Jason Evans of Dania Beach; sister, Nelly Rose Stevens and her husband Jack of Austin; grandchildren, Chase and Markee Perkins, Tarah Lee and her husband Edward, Erica Fontenot, Diego Guerra; great grandchild, Rachel Lee; step-grandson, Dusty Morgan; mother, Eva Perkins of Nederland; brothers, D.D. Perkins and his wife Pat of Vidor, Billy Perkins of Nederland and Philip Perkins of Austin.