Rex Tidwell

Rex Tidwell, 71, a disabled veteran, passed away on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 in Arlington. Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 23, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Interment: At a later date, Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas. Visitation: 10-11 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials: Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Disabled Veterans or any Marine Corp related foundations. Rex was born on August 16, 1948 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee to George Elton Tidwell and Lola Mae Underhill Tidwell. He joined the Marine Corp in October 1965 in the heat of the Vietnam War at age 17. He served as a brig chaser, escorting prisoners from one place to another. He was a court bailiff on a general court marshal for murder. Rex was also an expert rifleman with a top security clearance which came in handy guarding nuclear weapons. He was a very proud Marine and anyone that talked to him knew it. Rex worked for the U.S. Postal Service for many years before he retired. He met the love of his life there, Nancy, who was also a postal service worker in 1986. They enjoyed traveling early in their marriage, had horses, and loved fishing. After retirement, he enjoyed working in his workshop building things for anyone that would ask him to, and helping friends and neighbors with projects. The past few years, he enjoyed sitting in the front of his house and talking to neighbors. One neighbor in particular, Steven, would talk with him for hours about some sort of project that the two of them would work on or just life in general. Rex survived cancer 4 times, he was a true fighter to say the least. Rex was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ken Tidwell; and sister, Carolyn Tidwell. Survivors: Wife, Nancy Jean Stephenson Tidwell; daughter, Mesha Cox and husband, Joey, grandchildren, Erica and Landon, daughter, Misty Cardenas and stepson, Eric Tidwell; sisters-in-law, Joyce Livesay and Marty Tidwell; nieces and nephews, Kirk Livesay, Jessica Livesay, Cameron Livesay, Tammy Livesay, Melissa Cwikla (Rex Jr.), Mike Tidwell and Micki Fenstermaker. Wade Family Funeral Home (817) 274-9233