Mr. Carl Edgar (Ed) Tadlock, Jr., Lt. Colonel, USAF, Retired, age 91, of Greenville, NC, peacefully passed away on September 6, 2024, surrounded by loved ones.
A memorial service will take place on Friday at 11 AM at Immanuel Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Pinewood Memorial Park with military honors. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday from 5 PM to 7 PM at Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Born on October 8, 1932, in Pinetops, NC, Ed was the son of the late Carl Edgar Tadlock, Sr. and Myrtle Hill Wilkinson Tadlock. At two years old, due to the Depression, Ed’s family moved to Windsor, NC, where he lived until finishing college in 1954. He earned a BS degree from East Carolina College while completing Air Force ROTC training. In 1955, Ed began active duty in the USAF as a second lieutenant. On March 10, 1956, he married his wife Susie Spivey Tadlock, with whom he shared 51 years.
Throughout his military career, Ed lived in various states. In 1967, he received a Master of Education degree from East Carolina College, followed by an Educational Specialist degree from Troy State University in 1975. In 1976, Lt. Col. Tadlock returned to Greenville, NC, for his last assignment at East Carolina University as Commander of the USAF ROTC Detachment 600, serving until 1980 and retiring after 25.5 years of distinguished service. The day after his retirement, he began working for the Pitt County School System as a High School Assistant Principal, eventually serving as Principal at three middle schools until 1996. After retiring from Pitt County, he contributed to education at ECU until his official retirement in 2005.
Ed was a devoted member of Immanuel Baptist Church for 51 years, taking on various leadership roles. He was involved with Gideon’s International, Mending Hearts, the American Red Cross, and Meals on Wheels. A passionate supporter of the ECU Pirates, Ed will be remembered for his servant’s heart, exemplary character, quick wit, refreshing candor, and his signature smile and approving gestures.
He was preceded in death by his wife Susie and two sisters, Anna M. (Anadora) Heinly and Margaret Tatum. Ed is survived by his daughters Brenda Johnson, Carla Chestnutt (John), and Suzanne Tadlock; three grandsons Corey Johnson (Kristen), Tyler, and Parker Chestnutt; and great-grandson Dylan Johnson.
The family expresses heartfelt thanks to the loving staff at Cypress Glen Retirement Center and ECU Hospice. In lieu of flowers, Ed requested that memorial contributions be made to a charity of choice or that individuals perform a good deed for someone in need.
Arrangements are entrusted to Wilkerson Funeral Home and Crematory.
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