Ronald Eugene Perdue Obituary

Ron Perdue passed away December 21, 2022. Although he hadn't been his healthiest, we didn't know our time with him was going to end so soon. To say that Ron was a character is an understatement. Not only did he find himself endlessly entertaining, he wouldn't let up until you were laughing along with him and then would take full credit for being so hilarious. Ron was born November 14, 1962. His mom & dad loved him dearly and found great joy in everything he did. He often talked about his dad in almost a heroic sense and felt like he was a treasure that Ron was lucky enough to have been born around and continue to enjoy well into adulthood.

Ron was silly and relentless but also amazingly kind and thoughtful. If someone was low or had just lost a loved one, he was the first to remove any awkwardness and put his big arms around them telling them that they weren't alone. That he understood. That he was there. And also, did you hear how funny I just was?

Ron found his soulmate in Theresa Ireland when he was a young man. He was a strong cup of coffee, and some may have observed the two of them to be opposite, but he found in Theresa his greatest audience. She would answer his humor with her wheezy laugh and that would propel him forward to keep going. This laughter was the bread and butter of their relationship and will be the sustenance that keeps Theresa going as she works through her grief. They were together 33 years and she will carry him in her heart for the rest of her days.

Ron never met a stranger as he would gab your ear off whether you wanted him to or not. He was rarely appropriate but always memorable. He didn't hold back but he also delivered it with ease. He could make you a meal that would leave you in a satisfied stupor and tried to love everyone he met.

Ron was a diehard Tarheels fan and had many highs and lows throughout the years as he followed them but always stayed loyal. One of his highest moments was when he got his picture taken with Roy Williams and his friend, Scott, on Ron's birthday. He loved going to the Outer Banks and surf fishing and was so very proud of his "set-up". He absolutely loved the life and home he built with Theresa in North Carolina, feeling instantly at home there when he first arrived. He loved "the Boys" who he called "Brothers" as well as many other friends from California. He loved so many of his friends in North Carolina as well. He wouldn't be happy if we didn't mention how much he adored the Dodgers, Rams and UNC Carolina teams, as well as his loyalty to his fantasy football league. He looked forward to it every year.

Ron wasn't perfect but he was exactly what we needed. Whether he was joking around about the gap in his teeth and the gauge of floss needed or regaling us with his ridiculous story of his first tattoo. If you haven't heard it, ask around. Spoiler, it was "Ron" because he was nervous.

He would tear up without shame and truly knew how lucky he was finding Theresa. He was a pain but a blessing. He was obnoxious and yet tender. He called his mother-in-law "Mom" and he felt like Montana was partly his home even though he never lived there. He loved his buddies, his work, his food and his dogs. This love was so noticeable that at times it could make a person catch their breath.

Ron is survived by his wife Theresa, his father Vernon (Bud) and step mother Linda, sister Geri, loving Mother-in-Law Diana Melton and her husband Frank, In-Laws Debbie, Mike and Maria, Scott and Amber, Heather, nephews and nieces Gage, Casey, D'mitri (Teddy), Nya, Dempsey, Lily, Wyatt, Kiley, Waylon and William. Also step siblings Kelly, Bret and Toby and their extended families.

Ron will be missed but he will never be forgotten. Every time you hear a cheesy joke, Ron is there. Every time that you truly enjoy a meal, Ron is there. Every time you repeat that cheesy joke, Ron is definitely there. He brightened the room but also the world and the light of the world dimmed a bit because of him leaving. I choose to see him and hear him and remember him. And always laugh at the absurdity of the world because Ron sure did and he did it with love.

A service to celebrate Ron's life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, January 14, 2023 at L. Harold Poole Funeral Service & Crematory, 944 Old Knight Road, Knightdale, NC 27545. The service will be live streamed and can be viewed by clicking the live stream link below.

The family will receive relatives and friends prior to the visitation from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at the funeral home.