John W. Tadlock
On September 15, 2025 Reverend John Wiley Tadlock of Roanoke, VA and formerly of Richmond, VA – known as “Tad” by friends, former students and colleagues, and, more affectionately, “Papa” by his children and grandchildren - slipped away quietly in the stillness of the evening in his 86th year. He was born to Woodrow and Virginia Tadlock in Harrisville, MS on February 7, 1940. He was raised on the family farm where he helped to care for a multitude of animals and raised enough vegetables to feed the county; however, he found solace in the quiet of a library where he could immerse himself in books and the world of words. Years later he would say that, although farming was not his preferred activity, he realized his theology of creation had been honed during those formative years working the earth.
Eventually Papa was able to pursue his love of knowledge by going to college (slaughtering a pig provided enough income to make it happen). He graduated from Mississippi College in 1961, then headed to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. While in college he met Lacey Hunter (or “Mams” to her grandchildren), a shy, introverted music and organ performance major. They became good friends while she cried on his shoulder about some other fella. By the time Papa got the nerve to tell her how he really felt, she was already ahead of him. They both graduated and went separate ways briefly. It did not take long for him to realize he could not live without her, so he returned to MS and married her in the chapel of First Baptist Church Cleveland. Their union would leave a legacy of love and service of 61 years, until her death on August 4, 2022.
Papa served for over 20 years as Baptist Campus Minister in several states – Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, MS; Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL; and Clemson University in Clemson, SC. In 1985 he arrived as team leader of Collegiate Ministry at the Baptist General Association of Virginia in Richmond and continued in that role until 2003, at which time he transitioned to become Facilitator of Congregational Wellness until 2008. During his time at the BGAV he also became a published author. Papa then founded As We Journey Ministries, helping guide Baptist churches through the often-traumatic events that are a part of cultural and church shifts. Following retirement, he joined Mams who had found new connections with the Episcopal Church, especially the community of St. Stephen’s Richmond, with their commitment to inclusivity and social justice.
Aside from the deep love he had for his family and friends, Papa loved to laugh. His sense of mischief was legendary, but never malicious. He loved helping students and campus ministers find leadership potential they did not know they had. He created a safe space for students and congregations to question their own beliefs and find their unique identity in faith and in community. As one former student recently wrote, “He really loved watching us straight and narrow Baptist young’uns squirm in their theological containers.” Papa turned connection into an Olympic sport, staying in touch with hundreds of former students, parishioners, and colleagues, regularly communicating through any media available with words of affirmation, hope, and the occasional off-color joke or meme. He accepted people as they were. He knew how to be kind and love people where they were.
Left to cherish his memory are his children Kristin (Victor) and Kelly (Stacey); his grandchildren Annie (Conrad), Hunter, Zoe, and Jake; and his first great grandchild, Jamie. His vast family in MS includes his brothers Randy (Agnes) and Steve (Tammy) and their families who loved him well. But his biological family is only a small representation of the many souls he loved deeply. He never forgot a name or a person’s story. Rest well Papa. You are finally free of the pain of this life and full of the joy and perfect love of the next.
A Celebration of Life will take place on December 6, 2025, at 11:00am at Christ Episcopal Church in Roanoke, VA. The service will be live streamed on the church’s YouTube channel for those who may not be able to join in person. For those wishing to make a donation in memory of Papa, the family encourages you to consider your favorite charity or the following: McShin Recovery Resource Foundation (Home | McShin Foundation); Points of Diversity (Points of Diversity); or The Harrison Museum of African American Culture (Home - Harrison Museum of African American Culture | African American Museum in Roanoke, VA).
