Joseph Robert Edwards, Jr.

MSGT (retired) Joseph Robert Edwards, Jr., age 89, of Fayetteville passed away peacefully at 9:20 a.m. on Monday, July 16, 2018, with his wife Doris and daughter Lori by his side. He was a deeply loved husband, father, grand and great-grandfather, brother and friend. Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph R. and Pearl Edwards; two brothers, Charles and Ernest; four sisters, Dorothy, Josephine, Mary and Audrey; his first wife, Peggy Anne Smallwood Edwards, mother of his four adult children; and his second wife, Marjorie Bunce Edwards.

Surviving are his wife, Doris Merkel Edwards, of the home; two daughters: Lori Jean Tanguay of Fort Collins, CO and Joni Edwards Reilly and husband Richard, of Alexandria, VA: two sons, Robert Alan Edwards and wife Maribel of Cleveland, OH and David Wayne Edwards, Sr. and wife Lisa of Athens, OH; three stepdaughters: Catherine McNeill of Fayetteville, NC; Christine Mattison and husband Wallace of Leavenworth, KS and Marjorie Sparks and husband Richard of Southport, NC; 5 stepsons: Norman McNeill of Fayetteville, NC, Dennis and Cliff Walker both of Sanford, NC, Stephen Walker and wife Jennifer of Pensacola, FL and Shane Walker of Norfolk, VA; 20 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are one sister, Mildred Smith of Selbyville, DE and one sister-in-law Yvonne Edwards of Phoenix, AZ.

Joseph R. Edwards, Jr. was born on June 24, 1929 in Kensington, MD to the late Joseph Robert and Pearl Edwina Edwards. Known simply as “Sonny” in those younger days to family and friends, he would later, after joining the United States Army, be called “Ed” or “Red” by his buddies. The name “Red” alluded to his red hair, and by the time his hair had turned white, he had long since become known to everyone simply as “Joe.” Much beloved by his family and his many close friends, he was well known throughout the Fayetteville and Hope Mills areas as truly one of those rare individuals one instantly and instinctively likes. He was simply a wonderful and humble man with a winning personality; always friendly and charming. He was above all compassionate and giving and one could not have found a better friend anywhere.

His childhood and youth were spent at the family home in Kensington, MD where he attended school, eventually earning his GED while in the Army. Eager to experience life away from his small community, he joined a team of young surveyors, learning the trade, and traveling to different locations throughout the United States. Returning home one year later, restless for more adventures, he decided to join the United States Air Force, the branch his older brother joined a few years earlier. Joe and two of his friends arrived at the Air Force Recruiting Office but were disappointed to find it closed. The next best thing was to join the Army’s branch of service that incorporated the word “Air” and so on July 26, 1948 in Washington, DC, all three of them became members of the “Airborne.”

Following basic training, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC and attended jump school at Fort Benning, GA from January to April 1949 and was awarded parachute and glider wings. He spent the next two years at Fort Bragg before being assigned to the 187th Regimental Combat Team (his beloved Rakkasans) in Japan in early 1952. Throughout his military career, Joe Edwards would be assigned, nearly exclusively, to the 82nd Airborne Division and 18th Airborne Corps, both based at Fort Bragg, NC. He was a veteran of three wars: The Korean War, from 1952 to 1953, the Dominican Republic conflict from April to July 1965, and the Vietnam War, from May 1967 to May 1968. While in Vietnam, he served with 1st Brigade, 101th Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. In Vietnam he was wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart. His peacetime overseas assignments include tours to Japan, Turkey and Germany. Joe retired honorably in September 1970 from active military service. His many awards and decorations include: Parachute and Glider Wings, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and numerous Army Accommodations.

Following his 22-year military service, Joe enrolled in college, and pursued a new career with the United States Postal Service. Starting in the small town of St. Pauls as per-diem mail carrier in 1970, he eventually retired 21 years later as Postmaster. Along the way, he never considered his occupation tedious, but truly loved his work, both for the challenges it brought and the good relationships it fostered with fellow coworkers.

In his private life, Joe foremostly spent time with his beloved family. He was intensely proud of his children, and as they grew to adulthood, married, and grandchildren came along, it only increased the happiness. Retirement also afforded Joe plenty of time to pursue hobbies outside the family circle. One such hobby was golf and he spent many enjoyable hours on numerous regional golf courses, playing alongside many great friends, here especially two longtime golfing partners, John Whiteman and Joe Turner. Another beloved pastime was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle along peaceful country roads. Joe and his wives loved vacationing throughout the United States and overseas, as well as yearly visits to the Atlantic Coast much closer to home at Myrtle Beach.

Joe always found the necessary time to get involved in community affairs. He was active in various school activities, serving, for instance, as president of the PTA, starting a baseball program at his son’s school, Brentwood Elementary, and volunteering as scoutmaster to a cub scout troop. He was a member of the Fayetteville Lions Club and served on the Board of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center’s “Passport to Health” Committee. Joe was affiliated with the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the 319th Artillery Regiment, the DAV, the Order of the Purple Heart, VFW Post 10630 and Legion Post 32. He yearly attended the reunion of the 187th Airborne “Rakkasans” at different cities throughout the United States. Somewhere wedged in this active “retired” life, line dancing also found its way onto the itinerary as well as dinner on Tuesdays with dear friends, Emma and Bill.

Joe was long-time member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, dating back to the early 1970s. He ushered at the 8 a.m. service for many years, and in recent years, volunteered his time at the church’s Food Pantry. This was something he enjoyed tremendously because it involved helping others. That same drive to do something for others led Joe to visit the VA nursing home with regularity, participating with fellow members of either VFW Post 10630 or Legion Post 32 in such functions as bi-weekly Bingo or “Christmas in July.” He found great pleasure in spending time with fellow “soldiers,” men and women, who shared his fondness for the military that was such an intricate part of his life. For many years, at 1 pm daily, he would join other retired GI’s at a McDonald’s in town and rehash old army and war stories over a cup of hot, black coffee. As the years rolled on, more and more of these friends passed away, and by the time of Joe’s passing, he was the sole survivor of that group.

This obituary to a great man, although lengthy, is still, by and large, inadequate in so many ways, because we simply cannot incorporate here all that embodied this much beloved man. Joe Edwards will never be forgotten, but always tenderly and reverently remembered. We will always hold you near and dear to our hearts, and never let you go.

Services are entrusted to Jernigan Warren Funeral Home where a Visitation is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 20, 2018. A Funeral Service for Joseph R. Edwards, Jr. will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church with full service. A graveside service with close family and friends will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s honor, may be made to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

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