Ilona Perdue

loving family. Ilona (Mueller) Perdue was born in Bremen, Germany on December 15, 1928 to Johann Heinrich Mueller and Johanna Margarethe (Kattau) Mueller. She was the youngest of five siblings; three sisters and one brother. Her next oldest sibling was 10 years older. Her father died when she was 2 years old of congestive heart failure. She is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Bascom Burton Perdue on December 8,2002. She leaves behind four sons and one daughter, 13 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren. Sons: Burton Perdue, (Kathy) Morgantown, IN; Bryan Perdue, (Ann) Allons, TN; Mario Perdue, (Pam) Indianapolis, IN; and Andre Perdue, (Lisa) Lafollette,TN.

Daughter: Carmen Hurt, (Sam) Indianapolis, IN

Mom grew up in war torn Germany as fascists came to power. Her father was already deceased, so it was largely her and her mother frugally eking out an existence during the war years, losing their home during a bombing raid and taking up residence in bomb shelters during intense allied bombing raids. The memories of those formative years shaped her character. The stories she told of searching for food and being malnourished during the final years of the war were sobering.

When Dad met Mom she was a telephone operator. They met through a mutual friend of Dad's who dated a friend of Mom. Mom did not speak english and dad knew very little german. During the earliest part of their marriage they communicated through broken english and hand gestures. Mom became a naturalized American

Citizen on March 12, 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana, just a few years after Dad returned from Korea. She

was a homemaker and a military wife; my father served in the military for 30 years.

Mom loved working in her flower garden; particularly watching the hummingbirds battle for territory at the feeders she would set out. She loved a good fight.

In her final year on this earth, she struct terror in the hearts of Walmarts greeters when she came barreling down the isles in her motorized cart, often knocking down displays, totally oblivious to her hit and run antics. On her last visit she ripped a bra display out of the wall and never stopped as her daughter-in-law tried frantically to stop her.

During her last year her speech became slurred and garbled making it difficult to communicate, particularly over the telephone; and impossible when she left out her dentures. Mom was techno-challenged by anything that had a remote or buttons. She would often sit in her powered recliner rapidly moving up and down in her chair as she pushed the buttons on her chair to change her TV stations. She had such difficulty operating the TV remote that Burton finally resorted to super-gluing buttons to make them non-functional.

Mom loved to be surrounded by her stuff, which she insisted had great value. She had a special fondness for several garden gnomes, which her neighbor Sharon, unbeknownst to her, kindly repainted and restored. They will find a special place of honor watching over her grave. After an appropriate amount of time we will begin disposing of her stuff. Beginning tomorrow.

Mom has gone on to be with our Heavenly Father and my earthly Father. We suspect they will both have

their hands full.....

A special thanks to Tona Martin, Donna Webb and Whitney Clark for their loving care in assisting with Mom during her final days and to her neighbors Sharon, Donna and Michael for their kindness, concern and generosity.

Many thanks to Tracy, Genevieve and Molly at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana for their tender loving care, advice and service to our family.

And a special thank you to her daughter-in-law Kathy Perdue, who lovingly and unfailingly cared for Mom for 9.5 years and tended to her every need. Without her coordinating Moms daily activities and medications, it would not have been possible to honor Mom's wish to die at home.

A private memorial service will be held for family and friends at the Perdue Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, 2626 17th Street,

Columbus, IN 47201.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BondMitchellFuneralHome.com for the Perdue family.