Edward Depew Lupton

On April 16th, Easter Sunday 2017, Edward D. Lupton of Oriental, North Carolina answered a call. A call that he could not refuse, a call that he had been looking forward to for quite some time.

Ninety-one years ago on February 8th, 1926, Eddie, as he is referred to by close friends and family, was born to Andrew Lupton and his wife, Grace Lupton. Eddie had the joy of growing up with three sisters, Nellie, Lela and Pansy and a brother, JD, all of which have preceded him in death. As happy as they were, tragedy would soon strike as Eddie’s father, a decorated WWI Veteran, would finally succumb to the damages received as a result of a mustard gas attack while bravely fighting in the Ardennes forest years earlier. At the time of his father’s death Eddie was still young and being the oldest of five he would start down a path of sacrifice and commitment to others that would define his life. In many ways Eddie helped raise his siblings, eventually seeing them off to live lives scattered across the country from New York to California. During this time, Eddie himself left his beloved home of Oriental , for a brief time, for the port city of Baltimore where he helped the WW2 effort by managing the construction of specially made cargo boxes that would float if their ships torpedoed by German U-Boats while crossing the Atlantic.

As time passed the need would arise for Eddie’s siblings to lean on him for support and guidance. A role that he would always greet with open arms. This led to him helping raise several of his nieces and nephews many of which, through his influence, became successful in their own right. Three nieces survive Eddie, Gerri Parker, Becky Daniels and Lydia Consentino.

While working as a Manager in Cherry Point’s Facility Department, Eddie befriended Mrs. Eddie Clare Griffin, an elderly neighbor that had recently lost her husband. Over time she became a close friend and mentor. As she grew closer to her death she informed Eddie of her wishes to create a non-profit foundation to help the children of Pamlico County gain an education. Once again Eddie accepted this request with open arms. Through his hard work and dedication for over 40 years dozens of children from Pamlico County that would not have been able to attend college due to financial restraints were now able to with Eddie’s help. This foundation, The Perry-Griffin Foundation remains a staple of Oriental’s economy and continues to provide scholarships to children every year.

In early 1982 Judy Berry, the daughter of Eddie’s best friend and her husband, Johnny Berry, came to him with yet another request. At that time Judy was pregnant with their 2nd child and the doctors gave Judy a very slim chance to survive the delivery. She asked Eddie to be that child’s Godfather and in the event she did not survive help her husband raise him. Once again Eddie accepted the request with open arms and on February 17th 1982, John Edward Berry, rightfully named after his Godfather was born. The mother survived delivery but Eddie, always following true to his commitments still helped raise John Edward as if he was his own. They forged a bond as strong as any in history and one that still last to this day. John Edward survives Eddie along with his wife, Jodie, and children, Conner Lewis Berry and Holden Andrew Berry, named after Eddie’s father.

Not only did Eddie outsmart the Germans in WWII, help raise his nieces and nephews, grow a foundation from a dream into a reality, and create an unbreakable bond with his Godson, he was also an outstanding member of the Oriental United Methodist Church. Valiantly leading their choir for over 20 years. Eddie put the needs of all these things first, before the needs of his own. And he took each of these commitments with the utmost of seriousness, never faulting and always dependable.

Eddie was a man of honor, always true to his word and steadfast with his commitments. He will be missed by many.

Services for Edward Lupton will be held in the Oriental United Methodist Church at 2:00 pm Saturday April 22nd.