Edward L. Alderman

Ed grew up in Wartrace and was graduated from Wartrace High School in 1943. He immediately went into the Navy V-12 program at Tulane University. From there he received an appointment to the US Naval Academy and was graduated in 1949.

In 1950 he married his high school sweetheart, Jean Ashley, who survives. Together they spent the next 25 years living in various Navy ports, including Monterey, CA where he received a Masters degree in Electronics Engineering from the US Naval Postgraduate School. He served for three years on the USS Iowa and then spent the last ten years of his Navy career in Washington, DC, retiring as a Captain in 1975.

Upon retirement, Ed and Jean returned to Tennessee and settled in Nashville. With a life-long interest in the law, he enrolled in Nashville School of Law and was graduated with a JD in 1980. He taught at the Southeastern Paralegal Institute and practiced law part-time.

Ed was active his entire life in the Presbyterian Church, serving as an elder in a number of congregations throughout the country and also as a member of presbytery and synod committees, as well as a delegate to the General Assembly. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, where he served many years as an elder and Sunday School teacher.

Ed was predeceased by his son, the Rev. Dr. E. Lane Alderman, Jr. Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Claire Pratt (Roger) of Washington, DC, daughter-in-law, Ellie Alderman, of Roswell, GA, grandchildren David Pratt (Grace), Ashley Alderman, Andrew Pratt (Corrie), Daniel Alderman (Desi), Mary Perry (Brent), and five great-grandsons.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2017 at 2pm at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, TN. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 4815 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220 or Columbia Theological Seminary, 701 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, GA 30030.