PRINCESS ANNE - John Roy Alder, Jr., 85, of Princess Anne, MD, died surrounded by his family on his 85th birthday October 15, 2023, after a brief illness.  The eldest of five children, he was the son of John Roy Alder and Lula Murray Alder.

He was a graduate of Washington High School (1956) and West Virginia Wesleyan College (1960) and a U.S. Army veteran serving as a medic.  After his military service in 1964 John entered the work force with American Oil Co., then Campbell Soup Co. in Salisbury, MD.  John then went to work for the Juvenile Services Dept. of MD, retiring after 30 years and helping many young people in his community along with the help of Judge Alfred Truitt.  After retirement he worked for Wicomico County Public Schools as a home-school liaison at Delmar Elementary and Fruitland Intermediate School.

John loved helping youngsters be at their best, especially if they were playing baseball or softball. As a former catcher he "caught" many pitchers and helped them learn different pitches with the help of his good friend, Charlie Muir.  He was very active in the many youth leagues of Wicomico and Somerset Counties. His lifetime of dedication to and participation in the game he loved was recognized by induction to the Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame.  You would often find him as the docent at the Hall of Fame Museum at the Arthur W. Perdue Shorebirds stadium.  John worked with the Young Bat Co. and enjoyed meeting many Major League players.  He enjoyed all sports as well as boating, water skiing and waterfowl hunting.  John never met a stranger and will be remembered by many.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Linda Dykes Alder; son Benjamin H. Alder (Jennifer); grandson Dashiell Alder; granddaughter Aurelia Alder; brother Walton W. Alder (Diane); sisters Lou Elin A. Sheller (Deke); Marie A. Martin (Fred); Grace Foxwell Murdock (Mike) and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation at 12:00 P.M. and a funeral service at 1:00 P.M. will be held Sunday, October 22, 2023, at Antioch Methodist Church, 11656 MD-675, Princess Anne, MD with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to HALO Ministry.org, P.O. Box 2227, Salisbury, MD 21802, or the charity of your choice.