Mary Elizabeth Henry

Middleton

Mary Elizabeth Henry Middleton, 84, of Jacksonville, FL entered into the presence of her Savior on November 5, 2026, after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.

Mary was born in Batesburg, SC to R. F. and Josephine Henry on October 25, 1942. She is a 1960 graduate of Batesburg-Leesville High School. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Erskine College in Due West, SC. Mary’s first teaching position was in Winter Garden, FL where she met the school librarian, who introduced her to her future husband. She taught elementary school in Orange and Leon counties. After several years of teaching, Mary earned a Certificate of Remedial Reading from Florida State University. Most of her teaching career was in the Duval County School Board. For the last thirteen years of her career, she taught fourth grade at Love Grove Elementary School. Mary retired in 2005, after teaching for 40 years.

Mary enjoyed reading and spending time with her friends and family. Mary had a special group of fellow teacher friends; they were known as The Birthday Girls. They would go out to eat for each other’s birthdays and vacation together every summer, visiting Boston, San Francisco, and the mountains in North Carolina, where they especially enjoyed the Biltmore Estate. Mary shared special joy with her grandchildren and great grandsons.

Mary is survived by Gordon, her husband of 61 years; her daughter Helen Beaudoin (widow of Paul) of New Castle, VA, daughter Sarah and son in law Isam Mardini, and sons Gordon and David Middleton of Jacksonville; granddaughter Mary Duck (Andrew) of Suffolk, VA, grandsons Mark and Matthew Beaudoin of Virginia, granddaughter Autumn Lawhon, grandson Jacob Mardini of Jacksonville, and granddaughter Jordan Mardini of Jacksonville; her great grandsons Joseph and Daniel Duck; and sister-in-law Diane Tilbury of Murfreesboro, TN; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Southside Methodist Church on Saturday, November 21st at 11:00 am.