Obituary - Ray E. Edwards

Sudden Attack Claims Ray Edwards Of Genesee

Ray E. Edwards, 82, a well-known and respected member of the Genesee community since 1902, died suddenly of a heart attack at his home here late Saturday night. He was rushed to Gritman Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

He was a former potato farmer in the Genesee area and had been retired since 1957.

Born Oct. 2, 1892, at McCook, Nebraska, he was the son of Nathan and Mary Edwards. He came west to Genesee with the family in 1902.

He served with the army during the first World War and was a long-time member of Bielenberg-Schooler Post 58, American Legion. He was also a member of the Genesee Community Church.

He married Mary E. Gray at Tacoma, Washington Nov. 17, 1918. She survives at the family home.

Survivors include his widow, one son, Levern E. Edwards, Orinda, California, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral service [sic] were held Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Community Church with Rev. Bryce McProud officiating.

Pallbearers were Robert Broemeling, Terry Geltz, Jerry Linehan, Russell Gray, D.F. Scharnhorst, and Gerald Pederson.

Honorary bearers: Ray Trautman, Lars Liberg, Mahlon Follett, Raphael Linehan, George Anderson, David Kuehl, Louis Scharnhorst, Tom Wahl, and Earl Parsons.

Burial was in the Genesee City cemetery.

Unknown newspaper, (handwritten date Saturday, January 19, 1975)

Another "Old Timer" Passes

It is going to be difficult to think of Genesee without Ray Edwards ... he was just so much a part of the local scene that sometimes a person almost assumed he would always be there.

Ray genuinely loved Genesee. He was interested in its past, proud of its present and concerned for its future. If there was a public event, he would be there. He had a special love for sports and even when his health began to fail, he would attend as many high school games as he could, even driving to the out-of-town games whenever possible and he would talk about the current football or basketball team with all the enthusiasm of a high school student.

Ray was truly a Geneseean...and now the big friendly voice is stilled; the booming laugh is gone and the ever-present cigar is cold forever. I know for me and a lot of his friends Genesee isn't really going to seem the same ... not with Ray gone.
-- Bill

Unknown newspaper, (no date)
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock

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