Mr. Ralph Middleton

Mr. Ralph Middleton, 81, of Jonesboro, GA, formerly of Charleston, SC, entered eternal rest on Friday, October 13, 2023. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Morrow Presbyterian Church, 6171 Huie Dr., Morrow, GA 30260, Reverend John Callahan, pastor, officiating. The remains will be placed in state at the church at 10 a.m. Public viewing will be on Friday, October 20,2023 at our chapel from 1 to 6 p.m. The interment will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Stem Point Memorial Cemetery, James Island, SC. These services will be recorded and streamed live. If the event is interrupted at any time due to technical issues, the entire event will be uploaded and available to view later in the day. Please copy and paste the link to share, or simply click on the link to view the event. https://vimeo.com/event/3805089 Mr. Ralph Morris Middleton, 81, died in Stockbridge, GA, at Piedmont Henry Hospital in the afternoon of October 13, 2023, after battling a sudden illness. Born in Charleston on November 27, 1941, Mr. Middleton was the youngest son of the late Mr. Eddie Middleton, Sr. and the late Mrs. Estelle Middleton Brown. His older brother, Eddie Middleton, Jr. preceded him in death in 2003. Growing up, Mr. Middleton attended Charleston County Public Schools. After high school, he attended South Carolina State College where he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 1963. He taught for two years in the Chatham County School Systems in Savannah, GA until 1965. He then moved to Dodge County where he taught English, Language Arts, and Music at Peabody Elementary and High School, which was a segregated African American School. After integration of the Dodge County Public School System, Mr. Middleton began teaching at Dodge County High School where he taught Language Arts. He wanted to further his community involvement and in 1969, Mr. Middleton became a faithful member of Peabody Heights Presbyterian Church where he became an Elder and served faithfully as the church musician for twenty-three years. It was during this time that he met Elder Dorothy Towns, and they were married in 1971. From their union three daughters were born. Mr. Middleton also went on to join Beulah Lodge #37 and was an active member of the Mason Brotherhood for over 15 years. During his early years, Mr. Middleton furthered his education by attending Mercer University and received a Master of Arts Degree in English/Language Arts in 1983. After graduating from Mercer University, Mr. Middleton went to the University of Georgia where he obtained his 6th year teaching certificate and graduated with a Specialist in Education (Ed. S) in 1986. During his tenure, Mr. Middleton had a tremendous impact on the students at Dodge County High School and was recognized for having the highest percentage of students to pass the Graduation Requirement Exam. In 1993, after retiring from Education, Mr. Middleton worked in real estate in Macon, GA, engaged in substitute teaching with Clayton County Public Schools, and traveled the world. He had a strong faith in God, a witty personality, possessed a true appreciation for multicultural music and art experiences, and was a lifetime academician due to his immense love for reading, as evidenced by his diverse literature collection. Over the course of his lifetime and since his retirement, Mr. Middleton spent many years living in both South Carolina and Georgia. However, during this last year, he moved to Stockbridge, Georgia, to be closer to his loved ones. Mr. Middleton is survived by his three daughters: Teresa Middleton of Eastman, GA, Leslie Middleton Walters of Americus, GA, and Hillary Middleton of Riverdale, GA; their mother, Elder Dorothy Towns Middleton of Eastman, GA; his two grandsons: Benjamin James Davis Walters of Temple, GA, Jordan Alexander Walters of Weehawken, NJ, and his church family of Morrow Presbyterian Church in Morrow, GA. where he joined in 2023 and whom he considered as part of his spiritual family. Additionally , he leaves behind his beloved Palms of Lake Spivey Community Family, who were very dear to him during his more recent retirement years. Mr. Middleton was dearly loved and will be sorely missed. “The song is ended but the melody lingers on.”- Irving Berlin

Mr. Ralph Middleton

November 27, 1941 - October 13, 2023