MEADE – George A. Edwards, age 82, died Monday morning, August 18, 2008, at his Nixa, Missouri, residence.

He was born December 18, 1925, at Fowler, Kansas, the son of Edward Hamilton and Sara Mabel (Smith) Edwards. As a young boy he attended the Meade school system, moving to Longmont, Colorado at the age of seventeen. He later joined the United States Army, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. In 1948, he married Jane Creeden at Sublette, Kansas. On June 22, 1973, he married Joan Horton at Collinsville, Illinois, later moving to Nixa, Missouri, in 1991. He was an operations manager for Santa Fe Freight and Yellow Freight Trucking.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Meade, the Elks Lodge, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. George enjoyed woodworking, having made several amazing items for family and friends, also enjoying fishing, bowling, golfing, baseball, and bird watching. While in high school he participated in football and track, having won the state title at Longmont.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Edwards of Nixa, Missouri; a son, Michael Edwards, and wife, Nita of Garden City, Kansas; three daughters, Judy Lewallen, and husband, Dennis of Cushing, Oklahoma, Debra Lindsay of Protection, Kansas, and Diana Riner of Coldwater, Kansas; two sisters, Emogene McBee of Minneola, Kansas, and Evelyn Lombardi of Denver, Colorado; twelve grandchildren, Marcy Taylor, Casey Milligan, Tara Herd, Vince Herd, Merrideth Sykes, Joshua Pavlik, Jace Pavlik, Joe McDowell, Cary McDowell, Autumn Sij, Veronica Pesek, and Tyler Pesek; and eighteen great-grandchildren, Ryan Taylor, Conner Taylor, Darcy Miligan, Deanna Milligan, Nicholas Milligan, Jayden Herd, Dawson Herd, Johnathan Caldwell, Kaitlyn Caldwell, Floyd Hubbard, Mixon Hubbard, Milla Pavlik, Cassie McDowell, Anna McDowell, Erin McDowell, and Madison McDowell.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 23, 2008, at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary Chapel, Meade, with Mr. Jace Pavlik presiding. Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday, at the mortuary. Interment will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Meade.

The family would welcome memorials to Hospice in care of the mortuary.