Carol Wickham Midgett

Mrs. Midgett was born at Eglin Airfield in Okaloosa County Florida on September 4, 1944 to the late Walter George Wickham and Edna Reynolds Wickham.

She grew up in Eastern North Carolina beginning in Tyrrell and Edgecombe counties. She moved to Smithfield, NC after her father’s death. She graduated from Smithfield High School in 1962. She was an active member of more than 13 clubs, often holding an office. While here she became very close to her Aunt & Uncle, Carolyn & Frank Hill and their family. She attended Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson NC, receiving a Bachelors of Arts degree in Christian Education in 1966. She worked at St. Luke Methodist Church as the director of Christian Education. Here she meet the love of her life in 1967, the late Rev. P.D. Midgett. They were married after a six month courtship, remaining so until his death in 2014.

She served with him many churches over 46 years across eastern NC ending in Wrightsville Beach, NC. She willingly fulfilled any role the church needed, most often involving music and youth. She was an educator for more than 40 years teaching Sunday school, special education and finally first grade. She was awarded The Presidential Award for Mathematics Teaching in 1991. She received her National Board Certification in 1997. She was appointed to the Governor's Teacher Advisory Committee by Gov. James Hunt in 1999. She was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2000. She served on national curriculum advisory boards, published and contributed to multiple educational textbooks and developed math and science curricula and teacher education at local, state, national and international levels. She participated in international teaching exchanges collaborating with and presenting to educators multiple times in Japan, China and Russia. She received her Masters of Education, Curriculum and Supervision in 2004 at UNCW. She became a teacher in residence at UNCW in Elementary education, believing she could help more children teaching teachers. She served on faculty at UNCW, ECU and Meredith College. She was awarded the W.W. Rankin Memorial Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education in 2016. She retired “officially” in 2018, but participated in a teacher education workshop this month.

She was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. She devoted her life and deeds to the love and care of her family. Her family was not limited to her own. She mothered step-children, grand children, students and church youth. Her passions beyond family included music, needlework, community service and travel. She created numerous items across many styles of needlework. She taught and exhibiting her creations locally and nationally. She served on the Southport Maritime Museum Board. She was proud to establish a permanent home to honor and memorialize the nautical history and heritage of her home in Southport. She relocated to Wilmington in 2018 to be close to family and church family at Wrightsville United Methodist where she was an active member of the Lydia Circle.

Survivors include her two sons, John Midgett and wife Laura, and Todd Midgett and wife Kristi; three step-sons, Peleg Dameron Midgett, IV, Steve Midgett and wife Kathleen, and Fred Midgett and wife Lawrie; a step-daughter, Pattie Midgett and husband Dan Nicholson; grandchildren, Parker Midgett, Hadley Midgett, Cameron Midgett, Aaron Midgett and wife Kim, Jacob Midgett and wife Kelsey, Terra Midgett, Lilly Emendy and wife Jenny, Amelia Midgett-Nicholson and fiancé Jorge Rodarte, Thomas Midgett and wife Elizabeth; great-grandchildren, Wyatt Midgett, Porter Midgett, Augustine Midgett, Sylvan Midgett and Asher Midgett.

She was preceded in death by her husband Rev. P.D. Midgett, III, and a sister, Mary Lou Roberts.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, December 30, 2019 at Wrightsville United Methodist Church. The family will have a visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Sunday, December 29, 2019 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Southport. Burial will be at 3:00 pm on Monday, December 30, 2019 at Cape Fear Memorial Park in Southport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wrightsville United Methodist Church, or to the P.D. Midgett Scholarship Fund at Wrightsville United Methodist Church, 4 Live Oak Dr., Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 or to the Southport Maritime Museum, 204 E Moore St, Southport, NC 28461.

Online condolences may be made at www.peacocknewnamwhite.com.

Peacock - Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport, NC.