More detail on this person: John Lovell
Middleton, 84, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida died
Thursday, April 7, 2016 after several weeks of
hospitalization following open heart surgery.
Mr. Middleton was the owner and founder of
Carolina Material Handling, Inc., a material
handling corporation, headquartered in Greensboro,
NC. He started the business in 1971 and it
continues successfully today under the leadership
of his eldest son, John "Mid" Middleton, IV. His
son, Cary D. Middleton, manages the warehouse
and shipping departments. The company, in its
forty-fifth year, employs a sales force that
covers North Carolina, Virginia and South
Carolina.
Having graduated from Charleston High School,
Charleston, WV, where he was All-State in
basketball and football, Mr. Middleton attended
Greenbrier Military School, Lewisburg, WV and
after a year was offered a basketball scholarship
to the University of Virginia in 1950. At UVA, he
was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity,
Eli Banana Society and ROTC. He played in the
first ACC Basketball Tournament in 1954. Forced to
take his deferred commission early, he entered the
military as an Army Second Lieutenant in 1954 and
later completed his graduation degree in Education
under the Bootstrap Program, graduating from
Kansas State University in 1961.
During his nine years of military service, he
became a helicopter pilot and had various tours in
the states, Germany, Okinawa, and Thailand
eventually entering the Vietnam War with the
Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter Company, the
first armed helicopter company. Mr. Middleton
made the decision to leave the military and return
to civilian life in 1962. In Charleston, WV, he
joined Jefferds, a material handling company, as
Parts and Service Manager and eventually as a
salesman. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to
Greensboro, NC where he began his own company,
Carolina Material Handling, Inc., in 1971.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Susan;
son, Mid Middleton (Doreen) and four
granddaughters; son, Cary; brother, George
Middleton (Eva); sister, Josephine Lorant
(Connard); sister-in-law, Andy Bennington
(Richard); aunt, Charlotte Mullins and a host of
other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held in Greensboro, NC
at Community in Christ, Presbyterian on Sunday,
May 1, 2016 at 2:00 PM followed by a reception
hosted by the family at Forest Oaks Country Club.
The Middleton Family wishes to express their
gratitude for the care given by Baptist Medical
Center, Life Touch and Northeast Florida
Community Hospice. Memorial contributions may
be made to the Virginia Athletics Foundation, P.O.
Box 400833, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4833 or to a
US veteran's organization of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of
HARDAGE-GIDDENS FUNERAL HOME, 1701
Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, FL.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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