G. Tabor

“General” G. Edward Tabor, a native of Deltaville, born February 14, 1923 went to be with the Lord on Monday, June 26, 2017 at the age of 94.  He was the widower of Mary Carneal Tabor; they had been married for 65 years.  Predeceased by family members, parents James E. and Clara B. Landon Tabor; sisters, Eugie M. and Dorothy P.; a brother, Curtis A. Tabor. At an early age his family members attended the Gospel Chapel of Deltaville.  There he learned to sing gospel songs and also learned to master his guitar.  At twelve years of age, his family all moved to Baltimore.  There he attended Southern High School and later Baltimore College.  In 1942, Mr. Tabor was inducted into the United States Army going to Ireland then to England.  Later he took part in the invasion of Normandy going ashore at Omaha Beach then on to St. Lowe, France, then on to liberate Paris.  Through five major battles on his way to Germany on to Salzburg Austria then to Bertish Garden, Adolf Hitler’s summer home in the Austrian Mountains.  After an honorable discharge from the Army, returning home to Baltimore he was employed by General Motors working in the Quality Standards department.  While working at General Motors, he became a licensed barber running his own shop.  Sundays at church, he was director of music, playing his guitar and singing specials.  After church he would volunteer at the city hospitals barber shops.  Men would line up to get their hair cut for free. For many years he would at different occasions, be requested to play guitar and sing appropriate songs at funerals.  He would at different occasions, play guitar on the radio then later on the television.  In 1948 he was accepted into the King Davids Lodge #68 in Baltimore, Masonic Temple and in 1974 elected Most Worshipal Master.  After retiring from General Motors and living in Deltaville he became affiliated with the Urbanna Masonic Lodge #83, AF & AM.  He also became affiliated with the First Baptist Church, Richmond where Dr. Jim Somerville is the current pastor.  In 1985 he was elected to the Virginia Silver Haired legislature as Senator of district #4 of Virginia.  He served on the social services committee, later the seventeen members elected him to serve as the chairman.  Together they raised over six million dollars for the “Elderly Of Virginia”.  While he was in the army, he got his wife to mail his guitar and the fellow soldiers would listen, saying they really enjoyed his playing and singing.  Another soldier named Eddie B. Taylor was a good singer and sang duets with him.  No matter where they were they always sang their theme song “You Are My Sunshine”; they were called the “Sunshine Boys”.  He also wrote country and gospel songs and one of the most requested was “Keeper Of The Door.”  Survived by his children, Edward James Tabor and his wife Beverly C. of Deltaville, Donald Richard Tabor and his wife Cathie Clemons Tabor of Pasadena, Maryland and their second home in Ocean City, Maryland; six grandchildren, Mark E. Tabor of Deltaville, Wayne S. Tabor of Norfolk, Jeffery T. Tabor and his wife Kimberly Hudgins Tabor of Mattaponi, VA, Matthew Tabor and his wife Crystal, Annie Tabor and Eric Tabor all of Pasadena, Maryland.  Three great grandchildren, Brittni Tabor and Breanna Tabor of Hardyville, VA and Scott Tabor of Petersburg, VA. One great great granddaughter, Olivia Tabor of Pasadena, Maryland.  Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday, June 29, 2017 in Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home, Saluda.  Entombment will be in Windsor Gardens Mausoleum, Dutton, VA in crypt #10 beside Mary his loving wife “together forever”, “Jesus is Lord.”  The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to the Gideons.