Gladys Edwards

Gladys E. Edwards went home to her heavenly Father Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center.

She was born March 25, 1920, to David Benton and Ona Caroline Yount Bollinger on the Bollinger family farm. She attended Southeast Missouri State University. She was united in marriage to Ralph W. Edwards of Marquand, Mo., May 15, 1940.

Mrs. Edwards was a fifth-generation Missourian. She and her husband were former owners and operators of a grocery store in the Lead Belt area. Later they operated Ralph W. Edwards Realty until they retired.

She was a member of First Baptist Church, Cape County Realtors and Order of Eastern Star. She was active at First Baptist as a Training Union director, Sunday school teacher, VBS and participated in the Young at Hearts. Mrs. Edwards was a volunteer for the Heart Fund, American Cancer Society, United Way, and Southeast Missouri Hospital.

She moved to Chateau Girardeau in 1989, spending the rest of her life there. She was an unofficial spokesman for them, always wanting to help other people and she never met a stranger. She was always proud to say she was a Bollinger from Bollinger County and that her family settled the area.

Survivors include two daughters, Lorna Ruth (Tom) Mueller of Cape Girardeau, Jane Carol (Bud) Harbin of Mount Vernon, Ohio; four grandchildren, Brian J. Hutson of O'Fallon, Mo., Melanie A. Garbs of Florissant, Mo., Laurie B. Harbin of Mount Vernon, Holly J. Black of San Diego; and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, in 1984, a brother, Howard, and other siblings.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to service time today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at the funeral home, with the Rev. Mike Shupert officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park.

Memorials may be sent to Gideons International or to Memory Diagnostic Center, 4488 Forest Park Blvd., Suite 160, St. Louis, Mo., 63108.