Joseph Byrne "Joe" Tedder Sr.

GASTONIA, NC- Joseph "Joe" Byrne Tedder, Sr., 95, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2020 at CaroMont Regional Medical Center.
A native of Hallsboro, NC, he was the son of the late Oscar and Mattie Edla Reynolds Tedder.
Joe fulfilled his childhood dream by joining the Marines in 1942 after graduating from Hallsboro High School. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II and earned Battle Stars on Tinian and Iwo Jima. He attended Clemson College on the GI Bill. After graduating in 1951 with a BS degree in Agricultural Engineering, he moved to Gastonia and began a career with Southern Bell Telephone Company that would span 34 years. In 1953 he met the love of his life in a dental chair, a pretty redhead dental hygienist named Margaret Rose Shealy. Joe was a loving father to his three children. In his spare time, he enjoyed gardening and woodworking.
Joe grew up on the tobacco farms of rural Columbus County during the Great Depression struggling with his family to survive. These difficult times built a character defined by a strong work ethic, commitment to family, and devotion to friends and community. He was active in the Boy Scouts (Assistant Scout Master and Webelos Scout Leader) and the East Gastonia Lions Club (President, Secretary, Treasurer, District Zone Chairman and was recognized with the Jack Stickley Fellow Award for dedicated humanitarian service). Joe was blessed with a strong faith. He was a charter member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, serving as congregational president, member of the building committee and church council, and Sunday School teacher.
For the last 30 years, he has been a loved and respected member of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Building on the strong character developed as a youth, Joe epitomized the core values of the Marines -Honor, Courage, and Commitment. He was a member of Gaston County WWII Last Man Club and served in the Honor Guard Firing Squad. He was a Life Member of American Legion Post 23, Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 9337, and Marine Corps League Detachment 116.
After surviving 31 days on Iwo Jima without a scratch, Joe surmised that God must have other battles for him to fight. His battles on earth have been fought, and now he is marching victoriously with his Savior.
Go Tigers! Semper Fi!
A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00am Monday at Redeemer Lutheran Church with Pastor Jeff Lindsay officiating. Interment will follow at Gaston Memorial Park with military rites by The Gaston County Honor Guard.
The family will be receive friends from 4:00-6:00pm Sunday at McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Margaret Shealy Tedder; son, Joe Tedder, Jr. and wife Lisa of Pagosa Springs, CO; daughter, Cecilia Tedder Mostellar and husband William of Jasper, GA; grandchildren, Jennifer, Brian, Audrey, Will, Robert, Kyle, Phillip, and Elizabeth.; great-grandchildren, Dillon, Nick, Tesla, and Emilia; brother, Paul Tedder; sisters, Juanita Larson, and Mable Baxter.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Anita Watts; brothers, Phillip and Franklin Tedder; and sister, Dorothy McIntyre.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1915 S. New Hope Rd., Gastonia, NC 28054.
Condolences may be sent online by visiting www.mcleanfuneral.com.
McLean Funeral Directors of Gastonia is serving the Tedder Family.