Edwina M Suddeth

Edwina was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She never tired of helping others. The definition of a matriarch, she was very involved in her children’s school through PTA and both athletic and band boosters. Lovingly dubbed “Mamoo”, her helpfulness did not end when her grandchildren and great grandchildren came along. She ushered three generations through Mortimer Jordan High School and was proud to be part of the MJHS family. She was always there to help with doctor or dentist appointments, babysit, and pickup from or drop off at school, ball parks, and gymnastics.

When she wasn’t helping with grands and great grands, she was sewing for the hospital preemies through Baby Love or working with the Morris Beautification Board and Cooper Green Hospital’s Potter’s Field Mission to ensure that no one would be buried alone. She loved knitting and knitted many booties and caps for the Women’s Mission in Fultondale and sewed dresses and shorts for the Shoebox ministry. She sewed over 300 dresses and shorts for shoeboxes in 2021 alone. In an interview about the paupers’ cemetery, she once said “Every one of these people has got a story. It would be nice to know what they are,” and we are lucky she never missed an opportunity to tell hers. You can also bet her kitchen yielded the best fried pies, Christmas dinners, and top-secret fried chicken recipe.

Edwina was preceded in death by her husband of fifty years, James O. Suddeth, her parents, Griselda G. and N.E. Martin, son, C. Leland Suddeth, brother William E. Martin, sister-in-law, Jill F. Martin, nephew Nat Martin, and son-in-law Carl D. Lucas. She is survived by her daughter Jane Lucas, granddaughter Melinda “Mindy” Dennis (Jeff), grandson Wayne Piper (Leslie Palmer), and great granddaughters Kirsti, Amanda, and Abby – the joys of her life. She is survived by additional family members Marcia and MaryJustice Lucas and many other extended family members.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Edwina will be laid to rest in a private graveside service at Oakwood Memorial Gardens in Gardendale, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, Edwina and family would be honored to have donations made in Edwina’s name to the North Jefferson Women’s Center or Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Ministry.

Special gratitude to Hope Hospice for the tender, loving care over the last several months.