Obituary of John William Edwards, Faulkner Co, AR

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Submitted by:  Jo Ann Cooper <cooper@inet-direct.com>
Date: 26 Mar 1999
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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BATESVILLE GUARD Batesville, Arkansas
 
John William Edwards, 89, a prominent businessman and philanthropist of 
Batesville, died Thursday, January 14, 1988 in Little Rock. Born in 
Hamburg, he was the son of James Roberson and Bessie Stinson Edwards.

Mr.. Edwards was retired, as chairman of the board, from the First 
National Bank, where he had served 
as a director for 22 years. He formerly owned and operated the 
Nu-Way Cleaners and Laundry. He retired from business in 1974.

Mr.. Edwards was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, where he had 
served as a deacon and ruling elder. He had also served on the board of 
the Arkansas-Oklahoma Presbyterian Foundation. He was a Mason, 
a member of Mount Zion Lodge No. 10, the Little Rock Consistory 
and a Shriner.

Edwards attended Ouachita Baptist College and the University of Reims, 
France. He enlisted the U.S. Army and waved in the infantry on the 
Mexican border and then in Europe during World War I. In 1919 he was part 
of President Wilson's Guard of Honor in Paris at the beginning of the 
peace conference.

A former trustee of Arkansas College, he received its honorary doctor of 
humanities degree in 1987.He was married to the former Lucille Welman 
until her death in 1973. In 1974 he was married to Bernice Shaver Morehead, 
who survives him.  He and his wife, Bernice donated the funds to build the 
Edwards-Holtcamp pipe organ in Brown Chapel and endowed the maintenance 
of the organ. He and his wife contributes the leading gift for the 
Edwards Dining Hall.

Other survivors are three brothers, James R. Edwards of Batesville, 
Dr. Hugh R. Edwards of Searcy and Charles B. Edwards of Conway, 
two sisters, Ruth Meadors of Little Rock and Martha M. Foster of 
Garden City, Kansas and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church at 
2:30 PM Saturday with Dr. Frank A. Brooks and Dr. Dan C. West 
officiating. Memorials may be made to Arkansas College, 
The First Presbyterian Church or Presbyterian Village.