Frank Ladson

Sumter, SC …. Frank Ladson, beloved husband, father, father-in–law, grandfather, brother, brother–in–law, uncle, and friend, died on Sunday, April 27, at National Health Care Nursing Home after battling several illnesses, to include dementia.   Frank, known as Frank, Dad, Pops, and Uncle Frank to family and friends, was born in Sumter, SC, on July 12, 1936.  Frank was the oldest of 7 children born to Josh and Julia Singleton Ladson.

Frank was raised in Sumter, SC, where his father was a foreman for the railroad system and his mother was a home keeper.  His father died when he was 9, which led to Frank becoming the man of the family.  Frank was an excellent student and was very active in sports growing up, and he worked numerous jobs, including working at the former Sunset Country Club and Cut Rate Pharmacy and Diner. 

Frank graduated from Lincoln High School in 1954.  During his early childhood Frank accepted Christ as his lord and savior while attending Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church.  Upon graduation he joined the United States Navy.  After graduating from basic training he was stationed at Moffett Field, CA.  He then moved to his next assignment in New York as a Navy Recruiter, were he met his future wife Dorothy Bethune.  Frank and Dorothy were married on September 27, 1960, and a year later on August 7, 1961 they had their only child, a son, Franklin Ladson. 

Frank’s military career moved them to San Diego, CA, where Frank was stationed at Camp Pendleton.   Frank then left his family in San Diego when he was sent to Okinawa, Japan, as a corpsman with the fleet marines, deploying to Vietnam numerous times.  Then his family joined him in Sasebo, Japan, where he was assigned to the USS Gannet, a mine sweeper, specializing in special mine countermeasure operations in the South China Sea, and supporting U.S. naval operations along the coast of Vietnam.

After their time in Japan Frank and his family moved back to San Diego and then to Quantico Marine Corp Base, Virginia, where they lived in Woodbridge, VA.  From there they moved to Subic Bay Navy Base, Philippines.  After their assignment in the Philippines, they moved back to the Washington, DC area, where Frank was appointed Senior NCO at a Naval Medical facility.  From there they moved to Rota Naval Base, Rota Spain, where Frank was assigned as the Command Master Chief for hospital.  After this assignment he was assigned to the Naval Hospital in Beaufort, SC, as the Command Master Chief. 

After 31 years of service to his country Frank retired from the Navy in 1985, and he and Dorothy moved to Paxville, SC, to be close to their families.  In Paxville Frank and Dorothy enjoyed gardening, fishing, and spending time with their family and friends.  Frank and Dorothy enjoyed traveling to visit their son Franklin and his family at various Air Force Bases they were stationed at in the United States and Europe.  Frank was blessed to have a grandson and granddaughter, and he enjoyed spoiling them and showering them with his love.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Dorothy Mae Bethune Ladson; three siblings, Lucille George, Mereese Ladson, and James Ladson.  He leaves to cherish precious memories his son Franklin Ladson (Lt Col, USAF, Retired), and his wife Sue, of Sumter, SC; two grandchildren, Joshua Robert Ladson, of Columbia, SC, and Julia Danielle Ladson, of Charlotte, NC; three siblings, Ike Ladson (Corona, NY), Catherine Fogle (Franklin) of Virginia Beach, VA, Julia Davis Moten (New York City), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 1:00 pm in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Rick Berry officiating.  The interment will follow the service at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 12:00-1:00 pm at Bullock Funeral Home.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements.

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