Richard Fay "Chick" Perkins was born on March 3, 1915, in Overton, Nevada. He participated in his first archaeological expedition at age 17 and three years later formed a partnership with Dr. William S. Park to excavate, save, and record certain Lost City ruins. In 1956, he replaced his father, Fay Perkins, as curator of the Lost City Museum and remained in that position until his retirement in 1980. Perkins died on January 3, 1996, and is buried at Pioneer Hill Memorial Cemetery in Moapa Valley, Nevada.