T.C. Edwards, 88, of Warner, passed away Wednesday, April 15, 2009. T.C. was born on July 31, 1920, in Coal Hill, near Clarksville, Arkansas, the son of Marion Earl and Julia Belle (Dobbs) Edwards. He came to Oklahoma in a covered wagon in 1929. He attended Stidham Elementary and graduated from Stidham High School in 1940. After high school, T.C. received his degrees from Northeastern State University and Oklahoma University. On February 28, 1942, T.C. married Anna Mae Arnold at Stidham. They were happily married for sixty-seven years. During WWII, T.C. worked 16 hours a day in the shipyards in Richmond, California. He returned to Lenna, Oklahoma, to farm after the war. In 1952, T.C. started his career as a teacher and coach and then became the principal for Stidham schools. He later became Stidham's superintendent. He served as superintendent at Hanna from 1963-1970. After Hanna, T.C. became superintendent at Oktaha Public Schools in 1970. He retired from Oktaha on October 1, 1986. T.C. was a member of the Hanna First Baptist Church. T.C. enjoyed teaching more than any hobby. He loved his students and he worked to help them not only in the classroom but in life. He was always thrilled to hear of their successes. His other loves included teaching Sunday school classes and having fellowship with his friends. After retirement, T.C. became a "flea market" man. He loved working on tools and visiting. His greatest loves were his family, his former students and his Lord.Survivors include: his wife, Anna, of the home; his sons, Dannie Ray Edwards and wife Susan of Eufaula and DeWayne Jay Edwards and wife Shirley of Warner; his daughter, Deborah Kay Calavan and husband Mark of Warner; his brothers, Dean Edwards and wife Faye of Warner, Ausley Edwards and wife Betty of Bakersfield, California; his sister, Billie Burdine and husband John of Lenna; his sisters-in-law, Mary Edwards of Eufaula and Bessie McGuire of Vinita, Oklahoma; his brothers-in-law, Trent Young of Ceres, California and Walter Arnold of Houston, Texas; thirteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Cecil, Earlen and Halford and four sisters, Gladys, Trobie, June and Willa Mae.The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Sunday, April 19, at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2009, at the North Fork Baptist Church with Reverend Gene Cook officiating and Reverend Dick Ford assisting. Pallbearers will be Gary Edwards, Chester Edwards, Mark Harjo, Steve Jackson, David Turner, Josh Lane, Pete Miller, Blake Gorman and Curtis Condrey. Honorary pallbearers will be Kenneth Legg, Orville Burdine, Bradley Campbell, Robert Naranjo, Horace Ray Branham, Buster Jacobs, Russell Reed, Jackie Blevins, Fred Bedford, Joe Roy Day, James (Blackie) Nixon, Johnny Collins, Jerry Hale, Paul Morris, George Mouser, Paul Burleson, Jerry Burleson, Johnny Shipman, Herb Branham and all of his "Flying J" Lunch Crew. Burial will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Hunn, Black and Merritt Funeral Home and Crematory of Eufaula.
Published in the Muskogee Phoenix on 4/18/2009