Funeral Services with Military Honors for Rudolph Wade will be held at 12:00 pm on Saturday, April 3, 2021, in the Wade Funeral Home Chapel. Mr. Wade, age 84, passed away from this life on Friday, March 26, 2021, at his residence near Collins. Brother Steve Ellis will officiate and interment will follow in the Knotts Cemetery.

Wade Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers will be Matt Sullivan, Bobby Faler, Arthur Lee Keyes, Joe Warren, Gerald Martin, and Kenneth Allen Thames. Honorary Pallbearers will be David Shoemake, Herbert Sasser, and Ray Lancaster.

Roy Rudolph Wade was born on August 27, 1936, in Collins to Lee Troy Wade and Clara Rawls Wade. Mr. Wade was a member of Willow Grove Baptist Church.

Mr. Wade was a Salem High School Graduate, where he played basketball and baseball. After graduation, Mr. Wade enlisted in the United States Air Force. During service both overseas and stateside, Mr. Wade served in Air Force Intelligence, Top Secret Division. The last 5 years of his career were spent at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. While stationed in Colorado Springs, Mr. Wade earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Colorado Technical University. Mr. Wade retired after 22 years of service as a Chief Master Sergeant.

Mr. Wade served as the Assistant Dean and later Dean of Students at the University of Texas School of Law. Mr. Wade left UT School of Law to become the Dean of Students at the University of Alabama Law School. Rudolph Wade retired from Alabama and came back home to Collins. Not content with retirement, Mr. Wade went into farming. He opened R.W. Farms, Inc., where he grew poultry, cattle, and hay. Mr. Wade also served as President of the Okatoma Golf Course.

Mr. Wade was preceded in death by his mother and father; his father-in-law, Willie O. Knotts; 1 brother, Lee Earl Wade; 1 sister-in-law, Eunice Ward Wade; and a cousin, Daniel Wade.

Survivors include his loving wife, Cathy Knotts Wade of Seminary; mother-in-law, Michelle Knotts of Seminary; 3 sons, Rudy Wade of Seminary, Clay Wade of Monument, CO, and Russell Wade of Collins; 1 daughter, Holly Wade of Hattiesburg; 3 brothers, George Wade of West Monroe, LA, Wiley Tom Wade of Collins, and Sammy Wade of Columbus; 3 grandchildren, Caleb Wade, Clay Wade, II, and McKinzie Wade; and his best buddy, his little dog Scooby Wade, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be Saturday, April 3, 2021, from 10:00 am until service time at Wade Funeral Home.