Earl Carl Edwin Tidwell, Jr. was born January 5, 1947. He married Carolyn Stroud, his high school sweetheart, in 1967 and volunteered for duty in the Army in 1969. Earl Jr. was a kind, warm-hearted, considerate man who looked out for the welfare of those he loved. He was a loving husband and excellent big brother. A spiritual man, Earl spent much of his free time while in Vietnam studying his Bible. Our sister, Mary, remembers "Junior, as all of us called him, was a kind but strong person. He looked like our Father, but had the heart of our Mother ... generous, considerate, caring." "Eventually he gave his life in service to others, just as he lived his life." It's incredibly hard to "let go" when a person you are deeply and spiritually connected to leaves this world, especially when they are taken from you so young. Earl Jr. died February 14, 1970, at the age of 23 in the Tay Ninh province of South Vietnam. That's 32 years ago, and I miss him still. Earl is the eldest (and tallest) of his family's children. In Memory of Uncle Earl I only call on him when I'm lonely, despite this he shows up to console me. I usually see him when I'm scared, He convinces me I'm prepared. I turn to him when life is hard, He sits with me and heals my scars. I push him away when I am wrong, He quickly reminds me life is not that long. I think of this stranger throughout my day. I hear his voice when I pray. I thank him for his constant love. I also thank our God above For blessing me with an Uncle like this Who had to leave us, but who still exists. He lives in our hearts and our minds, Resides in our souls reminding us to be kind. Watching and protecting us at any length. They call him Jr., he was their shy strength. To me he is the Angel I call Uncle Earl. He is my purist pearl. Since I was five it is on him whom Iï¿ 1/2 ve relied To console me, be my strength and be my guide. Thank you, I love you Uncle Earl! by Kari Brooks, daughter of Mary Tidwell Beatty Kari Brooks left this poem at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Washington, D.C.

 

A memorial from his sister, Anita Tidwell Hall cfstudio@attbi.com  16 Feb 2002

Contact Us

© Copyright 1997-2019 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM)

Last update 08/15/2019.