Obituary: Constance ‘Connie’ Dey Perdue

Constance “Connie” Dey Perdue, a longtime resident of Montclair, died in her sleep on Feb. 2, 2023, at Canterbury Care and Rehabilitation Center in Cedar Grove. She was 97.

Connie was raised in Fairfield. Her father was president of the Little Falls Bank. She met her husband, Bob, through friends in Ocean Grove, a place special to her where she and Bob vacationed after retiring. 

She sang in the choir in the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove and loved to bike on the boardwalk and swim in the ocean, no matter how cold it might be. 

Being outgoing and loving to sing and dance, she sang in several Junior League follies and participated in children’s theater in Montclair.  In addition, she was an accomplished tennis player and won the women’s tennis championship at the Montclair Golf Club.  

Connie worked in the family business, Perdue Radio Co., in Montclair and was the driving force behind the West Caldwell store. After the couple sold the business, they did some traveling; the highlight was a trip to China. She enjoyed going to the opera and museums and was an avid reader.

In retirement, she was an active member of the Montclair Garden Club.  Having lived next door to Van Vleck House & Gardens since 1953, she proudly became one of its founding members. She was the volunteer coordinator for its Deck the Halls Christmas fundraiser and worked on the annual plant sale. 

Connie also enjoyed volunteering at Toni’s Closet at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and the Montclair Art Museum. 

Kind, loving and vivacious and a friend to all, she will be missed. 

Connie is survived by her daughter, Renny, and her son, Joe. 

She was predeceased by her husband Bob in 2018.

Donations in her honor may be made to the Montclair Foundation/Van Vleck House & Gardens, 21 Van Vleck St., Montclair, NJ 07042 or at MontclairFoundation.org/donate.