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Title
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Edwards, Joseph T.
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extracted text
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Jim Simmons
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
PatriciaHelmer@aol.com
Friday, June 30, 2000 9:46AM
rumctroy@juno.com
Death Notice
Reverend Joseph Edwards passed away on June 29, 2000. funeral services will
be at Sylvan Abbey United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida on July 6,
2000 at 10:00 a.m .
~Condolences
may b sent to his spouse Marian at 941 Village Trail, Apt 217,
Port Orange FL 32127, or daughter Joanne Damon White, 158 La Siesta,
Edgewater, FL 32141
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Detroit Annual Conference
The United Methodist Chu.rch
Information for Memoirs
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Joseph T. Edwards
The Rev. Joseph T. Edwards was born October 4, 1910 in Nicholasville, Kentucky to
Joseph Thomas Edwards, Sr. and Lena Bourne Edwards. He met and married Marian
H. Led don on January 1, 1934, and they were soon blessed with two children . Joe
spent 69 years serving churches in Kentucky, New Jersey, Michigan and Florida. Under
his ministry many answered the Call to Pastoral Ministry or full-time Christian Service. In
1951 , he was invited by Dr. Harry Denman to join the staff of the Board of Evangelism
in Nashville, Tennessee, where he directed or participated in Evangelistic Crusades
across the United States and in foreign countries.
In 1956, as the result of a successful Crusade in Michigan, he was invited by Bishop
Marshall Reed to serve as Area Director of Evangelism for the Michigan Area . For the
next 8 years he directed Evangelistic Crusades in local Michigan Methodist Churches
and established Spiritual Life Ratreats at Lake Huron Camp and other Methodist camp
sites across the state. Under his direction, membership in the Michigan Methodist
Churches experienced a steady increase. In 1964 he was appointed Ann Arbor District
Superintendent and became fondly known as the "merging superintendent" for his
successful efforts to merge EUB and Methodist congregations on his district. In 1969
he moved to First UMC, Ferndale, as senior pastor. In 1974 Joe and Marian retired and
moved to Florida.
During the next 24 "Florida retirement" years, he served as associate pastor at First
UMC, Clearwater, associate pastor at Union Street UMC, Dunedin, and accepted many
other pastoral assignments in the Clearwater area. He considered one of his major
"retired' accomplishments the starting of weekly chapel services for two retirement
communities -which continue to this day.
In September of 1998, Joe and Marian had their "second retirement" and finally left the
active ministry, secure in the knowledge that he had been a faithful servant, effective
pastor and true follower of Jesus Christ.
On June 29, 2000, after a short illness, Joseph Edwards died in Port Orange, Florida,
at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marian Ledden Edwards, of
Port Orange, Florida; a daughter, Joanne Damon White of Edgewater, Florida; a son,
Dr. Harold T. Edwards of Wichita , Kansas; 3 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed.
Services were held in Sylvan Abbey UMC, Clearwater, and led by Dr. John Ewing,
retired pastor of the New Jersey Conference, Rev. Donald Porteous, retired pastor of
the Detroit Conference, and the Rev. Dr. W illiam Likins, nephew from Nashville,
Tennessee.
--Submitted by:
Marian Edwards, 941 Village Trail Apt. 8-110, Port Orange, FL 32127
Joanne Damon White, 158 La Siesta, Edgewater, FL 32141
FAMTI..Y PARTICIPATION SHEET
Full legal name of one being remembered:
Date of Death:.
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If member of a cle.rgy farntly, please list lr..no·wn appointments in Detroit Conference:
OR iflay person, please list church membership and conference/district areas of service:
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If you or members of your family are unable to attend the service, please give us the name of a
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Name: -- - -- -- -- - - - - - - - - - Telephone: _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address:
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Who should I contact if additional information is needed?
Relationship:
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Address: ,97'1 ?Lit~ 7':/r-c~ +:113 I /e>
PtrifcP~2r-J ~-e 3212 7
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Name:
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Additional comments may be written on the back of this form.
Please return this form to me as soon as possible. A stamped return envelop is enclosed for your
convenience. If you have questions please call.
Alice Sheffield, Pastor
Owendale United Methodist Church
Telephone:
Home: (517) 678-4225
E-Mail:
revalice@avci. net
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Detroit" Annual Conference
The United Methodist Chu-rch
Information for Memoirs
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Name
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obitu~ry'and
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.If you wish to adq informationthat is not printed,in the obituary·, plea
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· ·.. High schooVcolle~e ·informat.iori_ _.,.......-_____
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M arriage iot:~:mation. --- - - - - -- - - - -- - ' - - -- ---:--.Employment information------------ - - - - - - - - -
Ho!lors/awards --------~------------------------
Survivors/relationship
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This information was provided by
Address
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Please enclose a copy of an
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Age at death 7
Memoirs Committee
Dakoit Annual Conference
•Wayne .Mktdleton
516 Boo Oak Drive
AlVI Arbor, liltch 48103
. MARIAN L. EDWARDS, 90,
Widow of the Rev. Joseph T.
E dwards, Detroit C onference
clergy, died O ct. 24 in Port
Ora?ge, Florida. A graveside
serVIce was held Oct. 30 at
Sylvan Abbey Cemetery
(Florida).
She was born in Philadelphia, Pa.and graduated from
Asbury College, Wilmore
Kentucky. She married J~seph
Edwards on January 1, 1934 .
1956 they moved to Lansmg, Michigan, where he
became the Area Director of
Evangelism for the M ichigan
Area M ethodist Church es and
then was D istrict Superintend: nt of the Ann Arbor D istrict. T h eir final pastorate was
F~rndal~: F ir st UMC. A l ong
With penods of teachin g
school, M rs. Edwards taught
Sunday School, led an afterschool Bible Club for several
years, taught m any adult Bible
s_tudy classes throughou t her
hfe, and sang in church choirs.
Condolences m ay be sent to
her daugh ter : Mrs. Joanne
Dam on White, 158 LaSiesta
E~gewater, FL 3214;1 (-submuted by J oanne Damon White)
!n
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Marian Leddon Edwards, widow of Rev. Joseph T. Edwards of the Detroit Conference,
died on October 24, 2003 at her home in Port Orange, Florida at the age of 90. Her
husband, Joseph, pre-deceased her in June of 2000. She was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania on December 24, 1912 to J. Harold Leddon and Beatrice Skinner Leddon
of Clayton, NJ. She graduated from Clayton (New Jersey) High School and from Asbury
College, Wilmore, Kentucky with a BA degree. She married Joseph Edwards on
January 1, 1934. Joseph's ministry took them to pastorates in Kentucky and New
Jersey. They moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1950 when Joseph accepted a position
on the Board of Evangelism of the Methodist Church. In 1956 they located to Lansing,
Michigan, when Joseph was the Area Director of Evangelism for the Michigan Area
Methodist Churches. In 1964 they moved to Ann Arbor when Joseph was appointed the
District Superintendent of the Ann Arbor District. Their final pastorate was Ferndale:
First UMC until they retired to Clearwater, Florida in 1974. They moved to Port Orange,
Florida in 2000.
Along with periods of teaching school, Marian studied art and mastered china painting.
Her family treasures many of her exquisite, hand-painted dishes and other works of art.
She was a wonderful mother, wife and grandmother, modeling her life after that of her
Lord and Savior. She taught Sunday School, led an after-school Bible Club for several
years, taught many adult Bible Study classes throughout her life, sang in church choirs
and , for 66 years, was a faithful and important part of her husband's ministry.
•
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Marian is survived by a daughter, Joanne Damon White (former Camp Registrar of
Detoit Conference Camping Ministry until 1997) of Edgewater, Florida; a son, Harold T .
Edwards of Wichita, Kansas; three grandchildren: Laurel Damon Steffes, David Damon
and Douglas Damon; and 5 great-grandchildren. A Memorial Service was held in
Clearwater, Florida on October 30, 2003 with Rev. Don Porteous officiating .
PatriciaHelmer@aol., 01:45PM 10/28/0, Death Notices
•
1
Return - Path : <PatriciaHelmer@aol . com>
From : Patr i ciaHe lmer @aol . com
Date : Tue , 2 8 Oct 2003 13 : 45 : 16 EST
Subject : Death Notices
To : cap_ mi@hotmail . com
CC : . @brokenways . mr . itd . umich . edu (nathandee@mail . wingsisp.com)
Mrs . Mariam L . Edwards , widow of Rev . Joseph T . Edwards , Detroit
Conference
Clergy , died October 24 , 2 003, at home in Port Orange , Flor i da .
A graveside service will be held October 30 , 2 003 at 1 : 00 p . m. at
Sylvan
Abbey Cemetery (Florida) .
Condolences may be sent to :
Mrs . Joanne Damon White (daughte r)
158 LaSiesta
Edgewater , FL 32 1 41
/
DR . JOSEPH T. ED\vARDS
•
SUPERINTENDENT
AND
MRS.
JOSEPH T. EDWARDS 'O!f Ann A'l'bor
h ad their abtenda nce at the Jur isdictional Confe rence a t Peoria, Ill., interrupted by the death of Mrs. EdwaTds'
father in New J~.:;;ey: wher~ ~y drove
for the fune ral. / - ~- lP ~MRS. J. HAROLD LEDDON, 77, of
New Jersey, mother of Mrs. Joseph T.
Edwards of Ferndale, died in New Jersey
December 1 after a prolonged illness. The
funeral was held Friday, D ecember 5, at
Clayton, N.J. In addition to Mrs. Edwards
she is survived by a~othe,~; daughter, Mrs.
Beatrice Villy. J2 ..- l ~- &1
MISS FRANCES EDWARDS, 56, of
North Vernon, Indiana , sister of Rev.
Joseph T. Edwards of F erndale, was killed
in an automobile accident in Pennsylvania,
December 8. She was one of the head
nurses of the state hospital in North
Vernon. Another nurse was killed in the
accident and a doctor critically injured.
Burial was in Danville, Ky. Besides Rev.
Joseph T. Edwards, she is surviv~ , ~
three other brothers and one si£if.-:rl1'7:Jf'.
;y/ JiiftoLD
T. EDWARDS, son of Rev.
Mrs. Joseph T. Edwards of Ferndale
a~d
First Church, was recently awarded the
Php. ~egree in C~mmunications by the
Umvers1ty of Washmgton in Seattle. Dr.
Edwards is now on the faculty of Wichita
State University in Wichita, Kansas. A
~art of his responsibility is the instructIng . of the teachers of the Logopedic
Institute associa ted with that University. _This institute is internationally known
for 1ts work with children with speech
handicaps. Dr. Edwards' sister, Joanne, is
the wife of Rev. Gary Damon, pastor of
the Christ United Methodist Church in
Bangor Township, Bay City.
•
1j 3t(9\HE
REV. JOSEPH
EDWARDS, 84, a retired
member of the Detroit Conference, has fo unded an in-house
ch apel at the H am p ton at
Clearwater, F la. Rev. Edwards
h olds an interdenomination al
service there on Sunday nights.
"It 's a calling to minister to
these people," he said . "At my
age I know som e of what
they're feeling." During 18
years in M ichigan, Edwards
served as Area director of
evangelism under Bishop Marshall Reed. H e was Ann Arbor
District superintendent, an
for his last five years in Michigan he served as pastor at Ferndale UMC, retiring in 1974.
lf;{(jicJ11
Farewell Reception
For the Joseph T. Edwards
The congregation a nd many frie nds hono red Rev. Joseph T. Edwards, retiring ministe r
o f the First Church o f Fe rndale , a nd Mrs. Edwards at a reception on May 19. The p rogram,
made up o f mus ical groups of the church, included a piano duet, guitar and violin mu sic
and a duet. Among the guests were Dr. and
Mrs . John Marvin , Rev. and Mrs . George
Woomer, Rev. and Mrs. Les lie Williams, Rev.
and Mrs. Thomas Tinsley, Rev. and Mrs. Ge ne
Stone, Rev. Chase Hunt , Rev. and Mrs. Ru ssell Hopkins, Rev. Joseph Biscoe, and Rev.
and Mrs. Gary Damo n and famil y of Chris t
Church, Bay City. Mrs . Damon is the daughte r
of Mr. a nd Mrs. Edwards.
Mr. Edwards, a native of Kentucky, was ordained an elder in the Kentucky Confe rence
in 1937, and transferred to the New Jersey
Conference in 1938 whe re he spe nt 13 years
as pastor of churches in the area of Tre nton
and Camde n. He helped o rganize a nd co nduct the Philadelphia area-wide campaign for
me mbe rship and e vangelism sponsore d by
the General Board of Eva ngelism and late r
joined the staff of the General Board with
headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., whe re he
spent five ye ars . He was Director o f
Evangelism for the State of Michigan eight
years a nd in 1964 he was appo inted s upe rinte ndent of the Ann Arbo r Distri ct.
Mrs. Edwards, the form er Marian Leddon,
is a native of New Jersey. The famil y co nsists
of a daughter, Joanne , and son , Ha rold .
Joanne (Mrs. Gary Dam on) is the moth er of
three c hildren, Laurel, David and Douglas.
Harold served under the Board of Missio ns as
a missionary to Costa Rica. He received his
Rev. and Mrs. Joseph T. Edwards
Ph.D. a t th e Unive rsity of Washington in Sea ttle a nd is now teaching at Witchita State College, Witchita , Kansas.
Re v. and Mrs. Edwards pla n to move to
Clearwate r, Flo rida, whe re he will be a parttime visitin g mini ste r for th e First United
Me thodist Church there .
Rev~
HAROLD T. EDWARDS, son of
and Mrs. Joseph T. Edwards of Femcfaie
First Church, was recentty- awarded the
P h.D. degree in Communications by the
University of Washington in Seattle. Dr.
Edwards is now on the faculty of Wichita
State University in Wichita, Kansas. A
part of his r esponsibility is the instructing of the teachers of the Logopedic
Institute associated with that University. This institute is internationally known
for its work with children with speech
handicaps. Dr. Edwards' sister, Joanne, is
the wife of Rev. Gary Damon, pastor of
the Christ United Methodist Ch~rch in
Bangor Township, Bay City. I// / J /7/
Where Are They Now?
1 /ct.J
Joseph and Marian Edwards
Th e Rev . Joseph and he has been the organizer of
Marian Edwards have lived the retired ministers' annual
for the past year in a retire- meeting in Florida, which ocment community, Oaks of curred recently.
Clearwater, on the Gulf of
Serving in both the KenMexico. Chaplain at their res- tucky and New Jersey conidence is the Rev. Bill Sian- ferences , Joseph was the
ding, retired from the West Michigan Area staff person in
Michigan Conference.
evangelism under Bishop
The couple retired from Marshall Reed .
the Detroit Conference in
The Edwards' children in1974. Joseph has served elude Joanne Damon , wife of
three or four churches since the Rev. Gary Damon , who
then . He served as assistant serves Garden City First
pastor at Clearwater First for UMC. Joanne serves on the
five years. Both Joseph and
Detroit Conference Camping
Marian teach Sunday school staff . Harold Edwards ,
there occasionally now.
Joanne's brother, has taught
Conducting the worship phonetics for 20 years at
services at Coral Oaks Wichita State University in
Retirement Community , Kansas. Joanne and Gary
Joseph also does visitation have three children . The Edwith ill people there.
wards are great-grandDuring his career Joseph parents three times over.
served on the Board of EvanMarian likes china painting
gelism Staff in Nashville, and takes lessons. Joseph
Tenn ., for five years. He says, " I go fishing once in
recently reported on this awhile. The Lord's been
experience to his Sunday good to us."
school class. In recent years
THE REV. JOSEPH T.
EDWARDS, 89, a retired pastor of the D etroit Annual Conference, died in Port Orange,
F la., June 29 after a short illness. He was born Oct. 4,
19 10, in Nichlasville, Ky., and
began his 69 years of active
r.-:"--~"7"1 m inistry serving
m
churches
Kentucky and
N ew Jersey. In
1951 he joined
the staff of the
Board of Evangelism
in
N ashville, Tenn.,
'""""...;.ZOI........_ _..... where he led
evangelism crusades across the
U.S. and in foreign countries.
Mr. Edwards tran sferred to the
D etroit Conference as Area
Director of Evangelism, a post
he held for eight years. In
1964 he was appointed Ann
Arbor District Superintendent.
Following that he served Ferndale UMC from 1969-74. He
spent 24 years retired in Florida, starting weekly chapel services for two retirement communities. Mr. Edwards is survived by his wife, M arian Leddon Edward s, n ow of Port
Orange, Fla.; a daughter,
Joanne D amon White; a son,
Dr. Harold T. Edwards; and
many grandchildren . Services
were held at Clearwater Sylvan
Abbey UMC.
Edwards, Joseph T.