William E. Edwards

William Earnest Edwards (better known as Bill,) passed away at the age of 77 after a lengthy illness. Bill was born November 6, 1939 in Mulberry, Florida to Frank Edwards, Sr. and Eliza Cromarty Edwards. He moved to Baltimore Maryland as a toddler. He married Bertha Smith Edwards on September 27, 1969 in Baltimore. After serving in the Army from December 15, 1958 to December 14, 1964, he received a BS in Chemistry from New York University and worked for several manufacturers and Federal government contractors. He worked briefly for Valspar upon moving to Grand Prairie, Texas, which was where he was living when he passed away. Bill is survived by his wife Bertha; daughters Sibyl Edwards, of Washington, DC and Krystall Edwards (Melissa Jackson,) of Dallas, Texas; and grandsons Zion Tassy-Edwards and Tyler Jackson. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Frank Edwards, Jr., and sister Dorothy James. His sister Gwendolyn Grant resides in Baltimore. He is also survived by his nieces Rachelle Jefferson, Jackie Crosby and Adrian James; nephews Michael Edwards, Darrell Holliday and Kelvin Edwards; grandnieces Kiev Wilson, Jazmen Hines and Jeanna Edwards; grandnephews Eugene Avery Campbell Jr., Jamal Crosby and Justin Crosby; great grandniece A’nyjae Campbell and great grandnephew Kameron Campbell. His brother-and sister in-law Kenneth and Rose Smith have been invaluable in making Bill’s last years as pleasant as possible, along with niece and nephew-in-law Karen and Kareem Steen and their children Chaye Whitaker and Whitney Steen. Sister-in-law Ola McCorkle resides in San Angelo, Texas. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law Oscar Smith, Jr. and nephews-in-law Oscar Smith, Jr. and Kacy Smith. Although Bill did not grow up here in Texas, he was grateful for the friends he has met here such as S.B. and Gaynell Bundage; the Epperson family, Carolyn Epperson, Lorraine Lacy (Harry), Vickie Young, Rodney Epperson, Ricky Epperson, and A.W. Epperson and other members of the San Metroplex Association.