PERDUE, John Alexander, 85, of Cashiers, North Carolina, passed away August 29, 2008, after an ex­tended illness. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, he was a son of the late William Monroe and Ruth Gardner Perdue, and is predeceased also by his sister, Mary Perdue French, and brothers, William Monroe Perdue, Jr. and How­ard Gardner Perdue. Mr. Per­due is survived by his wife of 63 years, Rosalyn Sasser Per­due, of the home; sons John Alexander Perdue, Jr. (Diana)of Selma, Alabama, and Al­lyn Donald Perdue of Bluffton, South Carolina; daughter An­gelyn Perdue Streyer (William-deceased) of Greenville, South Carolina; granddaugh­ters Rosemary Perdue of We­tumpka, Alabama; Suzanne Perdue Widgeon (Wesley), of Eclectic, Alabama; Dr. Emily Streyer Carlisle (Eric) of Balti­more, Maryland; grandson, William Henderson Streyer of Madison, Wisconsin; step-granddaughter Rachael An­nette Langley of Selma, Ala­bama; sisters-in-law Marilyn Sasser Allen of Eureka, Califor­nia and Mary Faye Perdue of Montgomery, Alabama; great-granddaughter Alexan­dria Lee Williams, great-grandson Evan Jackson Wil­liams, both of Eclectic, Ala­bama; step-great-grandsons Peyton and Adam Widgeon, also of Eclectic, Alabama, and a number of nieces and nephews.  He graduated from Sidney Lanier High School inMontgomery, Alabama, and was a 1948 graduate of Au­burn University in Building Construction. Mr. Perdue be­came a registered Profession­al Engineer and retired as Chief of Engineering Design Branch with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile, Al­abama District, primarily de­signing locks and dams. Following his retirement, he was a structural engineering consultant traveling to foreign countries in this capacity. A thirty-six-year resident of Mo­bile, he was a member of the Cottage Hill Civitan Club, Sky­line Country Club, Bienville Club, Christian Church (Disc­iples of Christ) and United Methodist Church. John Per­due served his country for four years during World War II in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater.  He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Navy Achievement Medal and Air Medals with four gold stars in recognition for his service as a radar operator and turret gunner with Marine Air Corps Photographic Reconnais­sance Squadron VMD-254.  Their most hazardous mission was to photograph heavily-fortified Truk Lagoon without escort. The images yielded critical mapping data which assisted the U.S. Navy with Operation Hailstone, a mas­sive assault on the Japanese Navy, which was a major turning point in the war.  Mr.Perdue was a member of the Sons of the American Revolu­tion and the Marine Corps League Smoky Mountain De­tachment 973. During his sev­enteen-year residency in Jackson County, North Caroli­na, Mr. Perdue volunteered with Meals on Wheels, as well as being a long-time volun­teer at the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and The Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation. A military memorial service will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Community Projects, Cashiers-Norton Homemakers Club, P.O. Box2142, Cashiers, NC 28717 or to Marine Corps League Smoky Mountain Detachment 973, P.O. Box 1454, Franklin, NC 28734.
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Funeral Home: BRYANT FUNERAL HOME
Publication Date: 08/30/2008