Obituary of Mary Lee Edward

Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes Phone 573-898-2181 / Fax 573-898-3148 Newspaper Notice of Death Mary Lee Edwards Funeral services for Mary Lee Edwards of Elsberry, MO were held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2006 at the First Christian Church in Elsberry. Rev. Connie Atchley, church pastor, officiated with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were Brent Fruechte, Carey Edwards, Barry Schaefer, Steve Rathbun, Mike Gibson, Karl Olson, Chris Jaeger and Shane Schaefer. Mrs. Edwards, 87, died Friday afternoon, June 2, 2006 at Mount Carmel Senior Living Center in St. Charles, MO. Born April 7, 1919 on the family farm near Elsberry, MO, she was the daughter of the late Elisha Gregory and Mabel Lee Gentry Howard. She was united in marriage on May 7, 1936 in Bowling Green, MO to John Carr Edwards, Jr. This union was blessed with two children, Ruby Lee and John Howard Edwards. Mr. & Mrs. Edwards lived in St. Charles for 22 years before returning to their farm in rural Elsberry in 1975. She was employed for several years as a secretary in the St. Charles City School District; and later at ACF (American Car & Foundry) Industries in St. Charles. Avid gardeners, she and her husband were members of the St. Louis and St. Charles Rose Societies. She was also a former member of the Elsberry Garden Club and the DNC Federated Club in Elsberry. Mrs. Edwards served on the Boards of the Lincoln County Health Department and the ASCS (Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service). She was a faithful member of the Elsberry First Christian Church, where she was named Deaconess Emeritus. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gregory and Mabel Howard; her daughter, Ruby Lee Edwards Fruechte, who died December 28, 1999; and her beloved husband of 69 years, J. Carr Edwards, Jr. who died May 6, 2005. Survivors include one son, John Howard Edwards and his wife, Jane, of St. Charles; six grandchildren: Brent (Brenda) Fruechte, Caryn (Karl) Olson, Michele (Barry) Schaefer, Dawn (Mike) Gibson, Denise (Steve) Rathbun and Carey (Sarah) Edwards; and eleven great-grandchildren: Christopher, Shane, Brooke, Renee, Natalie, Riley, Alexis, Austin, Carson, Destiny and Taner. She also leaves her son-in-law, Rev. Leland L. Fruechte of Oceanside, CA; one sister, Elizabeth Ann Parker and her husband, Tom, of Palmhurst, TX; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Visitation was held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, June 5, 2005 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be given to the Elsberry First Christian Church Memorial Fund or to the J.R. Palmer Family Memorial Library in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.