Col.(Ret,) Perry Bertist Elder, Jr., 78, Clarksville, died Monday, April 12, 2010, at Alive Hospice at ST. Thomas. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday at St. Michael Archangel Catholic Church with Father David Kennedy officiating. Burial will be in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery-West, with full Military Honors.. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 7:30 PM Wednesday at the funeral home. A Rosary will be held 7:30 PM Wednesday at the funeral home. Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. He was born in Vicksburg, MS, on Jan. 29, 1932, the son of Perry Bertist Elder, Sr. and Ouida Graham Elder. He was a member of St. Michael Archangel Catholic Church since it was founded in 1985.
He was a Provost Marshall of the 101st Airborne Div. from 1973 until 1976.He retired as Colonel after 25 years of serving this county. He worked 10 years with First Command. His hobbies included making custom knives from raw metals. He was an avid hunter and fisherman also he was a turkey call judge and turkey hunting guide. He is survived by his wife of 55 years Betty J. Shipp Elder of Clarksville, two sons Perry B. Elder, III (Susan) of Fairview Heights, IL; J. Kevin Elder (Jamie) of Weatherford, TX, two daughters Kathy Foster(Eric) of Killeen, TX, Leslie Cook of Clarksville, eleven grandchildren Jeff, Mike, Lea, Denny, Josh, Mary Beth, Ryley, Casey, AJ, Josh, and Ryan and five great grandchildren. Friends will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to St. Michael Archangel Building Fund P.O. Box 505 Oak Grove, KY. 42262, Alive Hospice Unit Wing 3B St. Thomas Hospital 4220 Harding Rd. Nashville, TN. 37205 or Paralyzed Veterans of America
801 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006-3517. Arrangements entrusted to Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home 1510 Madison Street Clarksville, TN. 37040 (931)645-6488.Online condolence can be made at www.neal-tarpley