Margaret Ann Middleton

Margaret Ann Middleton, age 80, passed away Wednesday, January 8, 2020. Funeral services will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 12th at Bethea Baptist Community, directed by Belk Funeral Home. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the Fellowship Hall. A graveside service will be held 10:00 a.m. Monday at Florence National Cemetery.

Margaret Ann Bradley Middleton was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the daughter of the late Thomas Eric Bradley, Sr. and Margaret Payne Bradley.

She always valued education and the joy of learning.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction from Mississippi College, Clinton, MS and her Masters of Education degree from Francis Marion College.

When her husband, Edward Middleton, became a US Navy Chaplain, Mrs. Middleton worked as Board Chairman of Camp Pendleton, CA. Pre-Kindergarten School, President of Chaplain Wives at Camp Pendleton and Beaufort, SC;  Director of Religious Education for Seabee Chapel, Port Hueneme, CA, and President of the Naval Officers Wives Club, Beaufort, SC.   She served actively in the military chapels, churches and community.  She was a gifted pianist who could play by ear.  Serving faithfully alongside her husband, she was also a musician for the services.

Mrs. Middleton was an English teacher at Oxford (NC) Elementary School, Millbrook (NC) Elementary School, St. John’s High School and Darlington High School (SC).  She received four awards to write local history with her students from Project REACH, founded by the Rockefeller Foundation, and was named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow.

An active member of First Baptist Church, Darlington, Mrs. Middleton served on the Church History Committee, in the Eloise Smyre Circle and a member of the Renny Johnson Sunday School Class.

A loving and dedicated mother, Mrs. Middleton is survived by her sister-in-law Donna Bradley of Southaven, MS and her four children: Beth Goodyear (Brett) of Surfside Beach, SC; Jerry Middleton (Christina) of Darlington, SC; Susan Davis (Gary) of Clinton, SC; and Wendy Chico (Leonardo) of New York City.  She was a grandmother to Morgan Goodyear, Hayes Goodyear, Wyatt Goodyear, Leigh Ann Middleton, Erica McKensie Middleton, Carson Edwards, Taylor Middleton, Tyler Middleton, Austin Gardner, Gray Gardner and Gabrielle Gardner. Her faithful husband of 61 years, Edward Middleton, and her brother Thomas Eric Bradley, Jr.  (Donna) of Southaven, MS, preceded her in death.

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