Roland Powell Perdue III

SEPTEMBER 23, 1933 – OCTOBER 29, 2021

Roland was born in Long Beach, CA on September 23, 1933 to Roland Powell Perdue, Jr., and Ida Belle (Bonnie) Aldredge Perdue. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Will Charles, and a grandson, Roland Powell Perdue, V.

He attended College Park High School in College Park, GA and continued his education at the University of North Carolina on a football scholarship and was named co-captain of the football team. He was a member of the Order of the Old Well, ATO Fraternity and The Holy Grail. He was the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in his senior year. He graduated in 1956. He then attended Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA where he was elected president of the student body his senior year. Roland married Jane Cocke Perdue of Asheville, North Carolina on June 21, 1957.

He was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry in 1959, served the denomination as a pastor of congregations in Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Michigan. He also spent six years (1961-1967) as a Presbyterian campus pastor and director of Campus Ministry Research at the University of Georgia. In 2013, Roland was named the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Columbia Theological Seminary.

After retiring in 1998 from First Presbyterian Church in El Paso, TX, Reverend Perdue began serving as an interim minister. He and his wife lived in West Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and North Carolina during that time. He engaged in that significant ministry from 1998 until 2018.

Roland is survived by his wife of 64 years (married in 1957), Jane Cocke Perdue and their five children and spouses: Roland Powell Perdue IV and Colleen O’Rourke Perdue of Cedar Park, TX; Charles Mark Perdue and Monica Whatley Perdue of Carlsbad, CA; Philip John Perdue of Seguin, TX; Michael Judson Perdue and Susan Adams Perdue of Hull, GA; Sharon Perdue Sterling and Obrian Sterling of Austin, TX/Montego Bay; 16 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Roland was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. His wonderful sense of humor was uplifting and his enjoyment of life contagious. He served faithfully in the role of pastor to many congregations. He will be missed by us all.

A service of celebrating his life and a Witness to the Resurrection is being planned for immediate family.

Condolences may be sent to jaroperdue@yahoo.com.

Donations may be made to a favorite charity, one of the churches Roland has served or to Grace Presbyterian Church in Round Rock, TX where he was attending at the time of his death.