HON. EDWARD J. “Ed” TARVER was born on July 22, 1959. He was the third born child of Maye A. and the late SFC. (Ret.) Luther E. Tarver at Fort Hood in Kileen, Texas.
Ed graduated from Glenn Hills High School in 1977, where he was a standout lineman for the Spartan football team. He went on to attend Morehouse College on a football scholarship. After one year, Ed decided to hang up his cleats and returned home to attend Augusta College. While at Augusta College, Ed pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., was Chair of the Student Union, President of Black Student Union, and was commissioned through the ROTC program. He graduated in 1981 receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree concentrated in Political Science. After graduation, Ed began his service in the US Army as a Field Artillery Officer, attaining the rank of Captain, where he served until his honorable discharge in 1989. During his last year of service, Ed decided to follow a dream cultivated in high school, and entered law school at Oklahoma City University as a night student. He then transferred to and earned his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.
Following law school, Ed spent his life engaging his love of practicing the law and serving his community. Ed’s legal career included time spent as a federal clerk to the Hon. Dudley H. Bowen, Jr. of the Sothern District of Georgia. He was previously a partner with the Augusta Law Firm of Hull Barrett while serving as a State Senator for Georgia’s 22nd district. He was later appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the first African-American U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Following his term as U.S. Attorney, he partnered with J. Edward Enoch and formed the Augusta Law Firm Enoch Tarver.
Ed took pride in serving his local and statewide community. He previously served as Chairman of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Leadership Georgia Foundation, Chairman of the Leadership Augusta Board, President of the Academy of Richmond County Boosters Club, Chairman of the St. Johns’ Towers Advisory Board, President of the Augusta Technical College Board of Directors, President of the East Georgia Easter Seals Society, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Day School in Augusta. He was also the chairman of the Coastal Georgia Combined Federal Campaign in 2012.
At the time of his untimely passing, Ed was an active member of Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Mu Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity., Inc., the Exchange Club of Augusta, and served on the Boards of Directors of the First Community Corporation, the First Community Bank and University Hospital.
Ed was a tithing member of Doyle Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Blythe, Georgia. While he continuously maintained his membership with Doyle Grove over the years, Ed also affiliated with Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Augusta, Georgia.
Ed was preceded in death by his father; Luther, and sisters; Clara Tarver and Annineter “Anita” Smart. Ed is survived by his wife; Carol Dale Thompson-Tarver; daughter, Elizabeth Tarver, Atlanta, Georgia; son, Edward Jr. “Eddie”, Atlanta, Georgia; mother, Maye A. Tarver; sister, Pamela (Nick) Kwadey; stepdaughters, Riley Armant, Albany, Georgia and Ryan Armant; aunt, Mattie Lawson; nieces, Akesha (Shantise) Tarver and Veronica Walker, Macon, Georgia; nephews, Charles (Cheryl) Tarver, Charlotte, North Carolina, Lamar Smart, Atlanta, Georgia, and Shawn Walker; and a host of other relatives and god children
