Robert K. Perdue

1932 - 2012

AVON - Robert K. Perdue, 79, Avon, passed away at 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, at Rosewood Care Center of Galesburg.
He was born Feb. 20, 1932, on the old home place east of Berwick, the son of Warren and Mina Webb Perdue. He married Maxine Schisler on Sept. 26, 1953, in Abingdon.
He is survived by his wife of Avon; three children, Christine (Dan) Massingill of Berwick, Robert (Leatha) Perdue Jr. of Knoxville, and Thomas (Noreen Riley) Perdue of Galesburg; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and six sisters.
He joined the Army National Guard at the age of 17 and served in Korean War until November 1952. He was a military police officer while in the Army which began a career of more than 20 years in police work. He worked as a police officer in Roseville, Carthage, in the civil defense. He was the police chief in Avon in the '70s and joined the Fulton County Sheriff's Department in the late '70s.
He owned and operated a semi for more than 20 years, receiving the Gold Wheel Master Ring in 1985 for one million miles safely driven coast to coast for TMC, Des Moines, Iowa. Then back on Avon police force in 1983 and retired in 1993 due to poor health but continued to tell his police stories and trucking stories especially to the young whom he loved. He was a member of Deputy Sheriffs Association, Order of Police, American Legion Abingdon Post 31, and was a diehard Cub fan.
Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, at Corman Memorial Home in Avon. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at Corman Memorial Home in Avon. Burial with military honors will be in Avon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the family. Sign the online guestbook at www.cormanmh.com. Corman Memorial Home, Avon, is in charge of arrangements.