LOUISBURG, NC--Archie Clay Perdue, 74, of Louisburg, North Carolina, passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2023 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Clay was born on February 19, 1948 to Edward Norris and Edith Clay Perdue in Vance County, North Carolina. Clay grew up on a tobacco farm in Louisburg, NC and helped his family run their country store. He loved to tell stories about their time on the farm, his time on the basketball court, and the many extended family trips.

After Clay graduated from Epsom High School in 1966, he went on to graduate from Louisburg College and then graduated from Campbell University in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in history.

After graduating, Clay returned to work on his family farm until he went to work for Farm Credit in 1971 as a branch manager and loan officer. Clay remained a dedicated, hard working, and compassionate employee with Farm Credit over 30 years, until his retirement in 2003.

In 1970, Clay met the love of his life, Carol, in Atlantic Beach, NC. Clay and Carol were married on April 29, 1978. They went on to have 2 children, "the girls," Christy and Cortney.

In 2003, Clay retired and spent his time caring for his lifetime home church, Trinity United Methodist Church. If the church doors were open, he was likely there. He loved spending time with his family, and helping his daughters in any way he could, including working on his daughter and son-in-law's Angus cattle farm. Clay was the most selfless person, and sacrificed much to make the community and everyone around him better. He spent many Saturday mornings collecting trash with the Moulton Community and volunteered in various capacities to help those in the community, including the children of our local schools.

Clay was preceded in death by his parents, Norris and Edith Perdue and his Mother and Father-in-Law, James and Stacy Cornelison. He is survived by his wife of almost 45 years, Carol Cornelison Perdue, daughter Christy Perdue, daughter and son-in-law Cortney and Karl Holshouser, his grand dog and best buddy Whiskey, brother and sister-in-law Sammy and Ann Perdue, sister and brother-in-law Edith Anne and Jeff Weaver, sister-in-law Brenda Cornelison, sister-in-law and bother-in-law Lynda and David Williams, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Pamela and Tony Congleton, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Rhonda and Joseph Parker, along with many special nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, and aunts and uncles.

Services will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church on Saturday, February 4, at 11 am. Visitation will take place on Friday, February 3, at Strickland Funeral Home in Louisburg from 6 - 7:30 pm. Donations can be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, a place he loved and cherished his entire life at 4272 US 401 N, Louisburg, NC 27549.

Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, Louisburg, www.stricklandfuneralhome.net.

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