It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Jeff, who departed this world on July 2, 2025. Jeff was a cherished husband, brother, and friend. Above all, he valued his relationships—they were the heart of his life.
Born on April 30, 1963 in Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, Jeff was the third child of his parents Joan and James Perkins. He decided at a very young age, that he was not going to go by the name Jeffrey and he became known only as Jeff. He attended elementary and junior high school in Brooklyn, but when he was deciding on a high school, he chose Murry Bergtraum High School, which was one of the first business-themed high schools in New York City. Jeff was excited to study the emerging field of computer programming. He graduated from Bergtraum in 1981.
In his younger years, Jeff could always be found either playing sports or watching them— basketball was his absolute favorite. As a youth, he spent countless hours outside shooting hoops, perfecting his shot. Even as an adult, his love for the game never faded. He had a passionate, often comical love/hate relationship with his beloved New York Knicks. He would get so worked up during games, yelling at the TV as if the team could hear him.
He decided against college and hit the ground running and got a job as a messenger in Manhattan. Jeff would take the subway or his bike to ride around the entire city to deliver packages and letters to businesses. He knew how to navigate Manhattan like the back of his hand. It was a hard job and eventually he decided to move on and he started his career in claims processing as a billing analyst. Jeff started working for Blue Cross/Blue Shield processing dental claims. There was a lot of opportunity for paid overtime, so he would bring home piles of dental claims and even trained his younger siblings Janet and Jerry on how to process them. After company downsizing, Jeff left Blue Cross and continued his career in claims processing and started working for Amalgamated Insurance.
When many of his friends moved away and began building their own lives and families, Jeff made a different choice—he selflessly set aside his own goals to care for his mother Joan. For many years, he was her devoted caregiver. He took her on vacations, brought her shopping, scheduled her doctor appointments, and made sure she never missed her weekly hair appointments. His unwavering love and care for his mother earned the admiration of all who knew him. To Jeff, family and friends weren’t just important—they were everything.
Jeff also had a unique passion for colognes and proudly curated an impressive collection. It all began in the late 1980s with his signature scent, Drakkar Noir. From then on, he was hooked.
Jeff was often “researching” new colognes. Whenever a new fragrance hit the market, he would head straight to “his guy” in the city to get it first.
But more than sports and fragrances, Jeff loved his family and friends. In 2015, he met the love of his life, Esmeralda. He was head over heels for her and could not stop talking about her. They would spend hours on the phone talking and would go on dates all over the city. It was no surprise when he proposed marriage.
Jeff had a deep love for God and continued to grow in his Christian faith. One of his favorite songs was "Mighty Name of Jesus." He would often play it at home, letting its message fill his space with peace and power—but he loved it even more when he heard it live at his beloved church, The Life Church – New York.
Jeff wasn’t just a member of the church—he was an active part of its heartbeat. He served on the safety team, was a dedicated member of the men’s group, and was always ready to volunteer whenever and wherever help was needed. His quiet acts of service and strong faith left a lasting impression on everyone around him.
Jeff is survived by his wife, Esmeralda, step sons Sol and Justin, siblings Janet and Jerome, brother and sister-in-law Alejandro and Susan, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
As we mourn Jeff’s physical absence, let us also celebrate his kindness, his love, his selflessness, and his unwavering desire to stay connected with everyone.
Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit".
Reposing Wednesday, July 9th from 2 - 6 pm at Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx NY. (Parking provided at St. Margaret of Cortona) Committal private.