Joseph W. Congleton Jr.

Joseph W. Congleton Jr. Dr. Joseph W. Congleton Jr., 79, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, after a long illness. The funeral service will be held at The Memorial Baptist Church in Greenville at 2 p.m. on Thursday followed by the burial at Oakdale Cemetery in Washington, N.C. Born Oct. 2, 1928 in Kinston, he was the first child of Joseph W. Congleton Sr. and Theeny Cleaves Mohorn Congleton. He spent his early years in Kinston, later moving with his family to Halifax County where he attended Aurelian Springs High School. Dr. Congleton received his Bachelor of Science in History in 1951, and his Master of Arts in Education in 1955 from East Carolina College. He received his Ph.D. in Education in 1963 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. Following his undergraduate education, Dr. Congleton served in the United States Navy from 1951 to 1955 where he was Information and Education Services Officer for his squadron. Early in his career, he taught at several North Carolina high schools including Scotland Neck, Washington, N.C., and Durham. He joined the faculty of East Carolina University in 1964 where he served for thirty years, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1994. During his tenure at East Carolina, he was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the national education fraternity, and served as a consultant for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In retirement, he was a member of the Golden Kiwanis Club and volunteered as a tutor for students at Wahl-Coates Elementary School in Greenville. Prior to his illness, he attended The Memorial Baptist Church in Greenville where he was a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class and sang in the choir. He is survived by his wife, Donna McKinley Congleton, and a daughter, Beth C. Clark, both of Greenville. He is also survived by two sisters, Corrinne Willcox of Rocky Mount and Agnes Fore of Surgoinsville, Tenn. The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at Wilkerson Funeral Home in Greenville.