Edward Carl Middleton

Rev. Edward Carl Middleton, age 84, passed away Monday, December 23, 2019. Funeral services will be held 12:30 p.m. Friday, December 27th at Bethea Baptist Church, with a graveside service at 2:00 p.m. at Florence National Cemetery, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 11-12 p.m. Friday at Belk Funeral Home.
He was born in Darlington County, South Carolina, the son of the late Audrey Carl and Fannie Campbell Middleton. A graduate of Timmonsville High school, he served four years in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of staff sergeant.
After leaving the Air Force, Rev. Middleton attended Mississippi College, graduating with the Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. Ed and his wife Ann spent the following summer as student summer missionaries in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Rev. Middleton received the Master of Divinity degree in 1966 from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. Rev. Middleton would pastor several churches prior to entering the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps in 1968. While in the Navy, Chaplain Middleton served duty stations within California and South Carolina, finally retiring as Chaplain of the Naval Hospital in Beaufort, SC. Chaplain Middleton was appointed by Governor Richard Riley to the Governor’s Task Force for Critical Human Needs and taught at Beaufort Technical College. Chaplain Middleton was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, among other accolades. Chaplain Middleton stated he traveled around the world three times and touched the lives of over 100,000 men and women.
After retirement from the Navy, Rev. Middleton pastored Faith Baptist Church in Hartsville, SC and later served as chaplain of Bethea Baptist Retirement Community in Darlington. Rev. Middleton was the second Solver Haired Legislator for Darlington County; a member of Darlington County Council on Aging; and Chaplain of the Civil Air Patrol Florence Composite Squadron for ten years. He was twice chosen as South Carolina Civil Air Patrol Chaplain of the Year. Chaplain Middleton was a volunteer Chaplain for many years for McLeod Regional Medical Center in Darlington, SC.
A member of First Baptist Church in Darlington, Rev. Middleton was elected a Deacon, served as Men’s Ministry Coordinator, and led the church basketball team, and was a member of Renny Johnson’s Sunday school class.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ann; his children, Beth Goodyear (Brett) of Surfside Beach, SC, Jerry (Christina)Middleton of Florence, Susan Davis (Gary) of Clinton, and Wendy Chico (Leonardo) of New York City. Rev. Middleton was grandfather of; Morgan Goodyear, Hayes Goodyear, Wyatt Middleton Goodyear, Leigh Ann Middleton, Erica McKensie Middleton, Taylor Middleton, Tyler Middleton, Carson Edwards, Austin Gardner, Gray Gardner, and Gabrielle Gardner; brother, Donnie of Florence. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Hubert and Herbert Middleton; sister, Sarah Middleton Smith, and brother-in-law, Harry Smith, sister-in-law, Jean Middleton.

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