Walter Logan Eldridge

Walter Logan Eldridge went home to be with the Lord at 11:40 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2017. He was 86 years old, born January 24, 1931, in Franklin County, Illinois, the so of Joseph and Minnie (Wilson) Eldridge. He married Wilda Marie Perkins on October 8, 1950, in Perks, Illinois. He entered the U.S. Army in 1948 and served as an enlisted Personnel Technician until his discharge as Corporal in 1950. After his discharge, he worked as the U.S. Steel Mill and Urschel's Laboratory in Gary, Indiana. Mr. Eldridge returned to Murphysboro in 1956 to help his aging parents. He worked as a journeyman carpenter for five years, earned a real estate license, sold insurance for Modern Woodman and Managed a lumberyard in West Frankfort. On February 15, 1966, he began his career at the Southern Illinois Savings and Loan. Seeing it though several name and ownership changes, he retired on December 31, 1988, as Vice President of the First Federal Savings and Loan after twenty-three years of service. Evan after retiring, he continued working; he built four homes and continued to farm. Active in many civic projects, he served on the Farm Bureau Board, the Advisory Committee of Jackson County Soil and Water District, the St. Joseph Memorial Hospital Board, and he served as director of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Murphysboro Business Association, served on the Tax Increment, the Prison Acquisition, the Down Town Murphysboro Rehabilitation and Industrial-site committees. Mr. Eldridge was a loving husband, father, grandfather. He loved the Lord and witnessed every chance he could. In Gary, Indiana, he was a charter member of the two of the first Southern Baptist missions that were later constituted into a church. He had taught Sunday School in Indiana, and at Harrison and Dutch Ridge Baptist Churches. He helped construct the Harrison Baptist Church building and was ordained as a Deacon there on April 29, 1973. Mr. Eldridge also filled the pulpit at Palestine Church until a pastor was found. He is a member of the Dutch Ridge Baptist Church, and has attended Trinity Baptist Church for about 20 years. He loved to play the guitar while he and his wife sang. He also loved to garden and was an avid reader. Mr. Eldridge is survived by his wife, Wilda of Murphysboro; three daughters Beverly (Merle) Randolph of Marion, OH, Patricia Whitacre of Punta Gorda, FL, and Lola (Steve)Wilkerson of Murphysboro; five grandchildren Shane Whitacre, Bridget Whitacre, Jeremy Wilkerson, Emily Wilkerson, and Austin Randolph; and ten great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son Kevin Joe Eldridge; five sisters Loretta Howard, Mildred Hall, Wilma Marshall, Georgia Beeler, and Sarah Spears; five brothers Floyd Eldridge, Loyd Eldridge, Ransom Eldridge, Arthur Eldridge, and Paul Eldridge; his father and mother in law, Ruby and Willis Perkins; brothers in law Rev. A. W. Landis, Claude Harper, and Lloyd Perkins, and sister and brother in law Rev. and Mrs. Carl Fisher. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 30, 2017, at Pettett Funeral Home with Rev. David Pinkerton officiating with military services conducted by the Paul Stout American Legion Post # 127 in Murphysboro, and burial at the Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday and until 10:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Murphysboro Food Pantry. For more information, please visit www.pettettfuneralhome.com.

Walter Logan Eldridge

January 24, 1931 - January 26, 2017