John Lee Perdue

JOHN LEE PERDUE, July 21, 1945 – April 27, 2025 The family and friends of John Lee Perdue are saddened to announce his death in Moses Lake, WA, where he lived since 1984 in a home that he built with his wife, Mary Lou Cruz, who he married in 1968 and preceded in death in 2007. Fulfilling his final wish in life, John was buried in a simple ceremony surrounded by friends and loved ones at Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, where he now rests beside his beloved Mary Lou. John Perdue is survived by his four children—Christopher Lee, Robert John, Debora Diane, and Laura Marie—four brothers—Byron, Ben, Jim, and Steve—and his wife of 7 years, Jenae Nicholson, as well as Jenae’s two daughters—Erin and Sarah—and their combined 8 grandchildren. He has also been preceded in death by his parents, Henry Lee and Sara (Sally) McClellan Perdue, his parents-in-law, Fausto and Esther Cruz, as well as a younger sister, Diane. John Perdue, who embodied the ethics of hard work and family, led a full and vigorous life. He was born in Blackfoot, ID, and graduating high school in Connell, WA. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 19 and served until 1974 when he was honorably discharged as Petty Officer First Class (E6 – Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class)—a lead flight engineer for the P-3 airplane—having earned commendations for his service in operations in Vietnam and Korea. He attended Big Bend Community College, making the Dean’s list on multiple occasions and earning an Associate of Applied Science degree in 1974 with a focus on agricultural sciences and agribusiness. For many years, John worked as a farm production manager, chemical equipment operator, and agricultural chemist in Eastern Washington, then as a construction estimator and bookkeeper for Cerna Landscape in Kent, WA. Prior to moving to Moses Lake, while living in Royal City, WA, and working full time, John served as the volunteer fire and EMT chief and volunteer scout leader. It is notable that from 1990-1999, John commuted between Moses Lake and Kent almost every week, and his children remember their excitement with his returns on Friday evenings and weekends, which were filled with home maintenance projects, gardening, fishing, and other outdoor hobbies. He retired finally around 2007 after several years working in various sales positions and commercial driving. John had highly varied personal interests and hobbies, including collecting and restoring handguns and rifles, black powder shooting, boating, fishing, hunting, and maintaining vintage farm equipment, which he continued to use up to his final spring. He was particularly proud of his photography skills, which is something he practiced for 60 years, and his ability to maintain an attractive yard and extremely productive garden. He is remembered fondly for entertaining his children and niblings with bonfires and fireworks, for taking his family on camping trips and cabin vacations, and in general for having imparted an immeasurably long list of life-lessons, useful skills, and loving memories. Though his presence in our lives is enduring, he will be missed.

John Lee Perdue

July 21, 1945 - April 27, 2025