(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)
Richard Eugene Edwards, 84 years old, born September 29, 1931 to Marion Francis Edwards and Gladys Adel (Hamilton) Edwards in Lamar, MO, passed away Monday, April 25, 2016, at his home in Joplin, surrounded by loved ones.
At the age of three (3) months, his family moved to Pittsburg, KS where he attended Eugene Field Grade School, Lincoln Grade School, Roosevelt Junior High School, and Pittsburg High School. On his seventeenth birthday, Richard (Dick) enlisted in the United States Navy at Joplin, MO and was sent to the Naval Training Center at San Diego, CA. On completion of basic training, he was transferred to the U.S. Submarine Base, at what was then the Territory of Hawaii, where he remained from December, 1949 to February, 1951. He was assigned to Class “A” School at the U.S. Training Station in San Diego, CA. After completion of Class “A” School, he was transferred to the USS Marshall DD676 at Long Beach, CA as a Petty Officer Third Class. The ship was a part of Task Force 95 which operated off the coast of North Korea during the Korean Conflict. After the ship returned from Korea, Richard applied for and received orders to the Naval Air Station, Memphis, TN where he stayed until his separation from the Navy in September, 1955. He returned to Pittsburg, KS where he entered Kansas State Teachers College (now known as Pittsburg State University) and majored in Accounting.
During this period, he worked for Freeto Construction, W.T. Raleigh & Co., and the Chrysler Corp. while attending college on the G.I. Bill. Because of uncertain economic times, he re-entered the U.S. Naval Reserve Program and was assigned to Active Duty at the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit at Memphis, TN. Serving there from 1957 to 1960, he was transferred to the Naval Air Station, in Olathe, KS. In 1961, he volunteered to take a shipmate’s orders to Lakehurst, NJ so he could remain with his family. At the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit in Lakehurst, he was selected as the Navy League Sailor of the Year and promoted to Chief Petty Officer. Since there was no billet for a C.P.O., he was transferred to the Naval Air Station, in Atlanta, GA. There, he trained as an air crewman. He received my commendations and instituted a new maintenance program. In 1966, he was transferred to the Naval Air Station in Alameda, CA where he was promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer. Because of the shortage of experienced personnel in the regular Navy, he was transferred to the USS Enterprise CVAN-65, the Navy’s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier. He served during two cruises of the Vietnam War and retired in December, 1969. After his military retirement, Dick was a Farm Bureau insurance agent and sold real estate. He enjoyed visiting with his family, visiting the ocean, playing golf, and playing bingo.
On August 3, 1980, he married Lena Bertella in Pittsburg, KS. She survives at the home. He is also survived by his children, Pamela Heenan, Pittsburg, KS; Russell Edwards, Arma, KS; Teri Lynn Edwards-Hall (John), Pittsburg, KS; Sharon Westpfahl (Bill), Mt. Vernon, MO; Cheryl Barley (Dennis), Joplin, MO; Pam Sirratt-Batley (Mike), Cherokee, KS; Renee Pakitsos, Joplin, MO, and Katrina Deters (Grant), Wichita, KS; his sisters, Carolyn Campbell, Atchison, KS; Pat Junk, Pittsburg, KS; his brother, Dan Edwards (Jolene), Arma, KS, and 20 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.
A graveside military service will be held on Monday, May 9 at 12:30 pm, at the Ft. Scott National Cemetery, Ft. Scott, KS.
