Phillip Edden

Phillip Edden entered this world on December 3, 1932 to his parents, the late Sancho Edden and Lori Windred, of Shreveport, Louisiana. His loving grandparents, the late Andrew Harris and Eliza Miller Harris, raised Phillip. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School.

In August 1958, Phillip married Clara V. Lawson and three years later, in 1961, they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he began working in the hotel industry. He subsequently worked for the Economic Opportunity Board, and afterward, for the State of Nevada. With his goals set higher and with a love for education, be began to work towards, and obtained, his Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1980. He remained with the State of Nevada as a Rehabilitation Counselor until he retired in 1999 after 31 years of service.

Phillip joined New Covenant Church of God In Christ in 1976, where he served as a Deacon and Superintendent of Sunday School, under the pastoral leadership of Administrative Assistant Elder Leon Smith, now Bishop Leon Smith of Nevada 1st Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Later, Phillip joined the New Hope Church of God In Christ, Pastor Melvin Givens, and served until 1999, when he and Clara moved to Converse, Texas due to their health, to live with their daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Aubrey (Ray) Morganfield. Shortly after their move to Texas, they joined Maranatha Bible Church, Pastor Rander E. Draper, Sr., Senior Pastor, and attended regularly until their health no longer allowed. While at Maranatha Bible Church, Phillip was active in various ministries: Diabetes Support Group; Healthy Living; Cancer Support; Jehovah-Jireh Sunday School Class, and Vacation Bible School.

On May 28, 2016, the Lord saw fit to call Phillip Edden home to be with Him, and to be reunited with those who preceded him in death; his wife, Clara V. Lawson Edden and two sons, Charles Edward English and Bozie Wayne English, and four sisters, Aler Mae Smith, Mercille Lewis, Marie Richardson and Minnie Woods, and one brother, John T. Smith, Jr.

Phillip leaves behinds five daughters: Dorothy Jean Brown of Salt Lake City, Utah; Cecellia Williams Wallace (Alex) of Orlando, Florida; Janice S. Davis (Joe) of Kingman, Arizona; Vickie M. Edden of Fresno, California; and Linda F. Morganfield (Aubrey, Sr.) of Garden Ridge, Texas; one daughter-in-law, Martha English (Wayne, preceded in death); and two sisters, Evangelist Gloria White, of Englewood California; and Linda Cartwright (Eddie, preceded in death), of Lancaster, California; twenty-one grandchildren, twenty-six great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)