Sarah Evelyn Edwards

At 4:30 AM on February 18, 1931, Sarah Evelyn White was born in Centerview, Johnson County, Missouri to Johnnie L. and Lorene L. (Breuer) White. Sarah was delivered by her father and grandmother, Molly Stella White. She was four hours old when the doctor arrived. Sarah was the first daughter of Johnnie and Lorene and the first granddaughter of Pearl and Albert Breuer.

Sarah was a child of the dust bowl days. Her elementary education was spent in a one-room schoolhouse in Lafayette County, Missouri. Her dad was a tenant farmer, so they moved every three or four years when he could get another dollar or two to care for the family. Granny White lived with the family six months at a time and taught Sarah lots of things including, what weeds to eat for spring greens, how to pluck and cut up a chicken, how to plant and work in the garden, and prepare vegetables for canning.

Her secondary education included two years at Levasy High School and two years at Wellington High School. After graduation, she worked at Sears. Her friends introduced her to Claude L. Early; a private in the U.S. Air Force from Hardin, Missouri. They wed on April 19, 1954. They lived in Salina, Kansas, as well as Aiea, Hawaii, and El Paso, Texas. Of this union three children were born, Claudia Kay (deceased 2018), Daniel Wayne (deceased 2022), and Darin Layne.

After Claude’s death in March 1961, she returned to Independence, Missouri to be near her family, in addition to Claude’s family in Hardin, Missouri. During this time, she joined Trinity Presbyterian Church in Independence. Friends introduced her to Eddie F. Edwards and they wed on June 15, 1963. Of this union, one daughter, Candace Alina was born in May 1964. In the following years, they built a bigger house in Kansas City, Missouri. After Candace started school, Sarah worked at Western Electric/ AT&T until the plant shut down.

After traveling to nearly all the western states, she worked at the Eagles Nest daycare center for the Independence school district. After Eddie’s passing in 2001, she moved into an apartment in 2006, because the big house and yard were too much to care for. At the apartment complex, she made a lot of new friends and traveling buddies. They visited Jefferson City, Branson, Springfield, and Alaska. Sarah loved family, decorating for holidays and the ensuing dinners. She also loved doing crossword puzzles, Jumble, Boggle, and Word Find until her eyesight diminished. Multi-talented; Sarah had a gift for arts and crafting, gardening and cooking. A lifelong reader and acquirer of knowledge she was always delighted to share and converse on things she had learned.

Her greatest joy and happiness were her family, kids, and grandchildren. She is survived by son Daniel’s wife Sherry, son Darin and wife Candy, and daughter Candace Parker. Four grandsons; Ryan Parker, Travis Early, Anthony Early, and Mason Early. Four granddaughters; Meredith Wynn, Rachel Castrop, Mazie Sadler, and Heather Early. Three great-granddaughters; Madilyn Early, Isabell Wynn, and Sophia Garrison. One great-grandson, Anthony Early Jr, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Preceded in death by two husbands, parents, two brothers; Richard and James White, one sister; Lilas Gibson, In-laws; R.W. and Terry Early, David and Gloria Edwards, daughter Claudia Early, and son Daniel Early.

A visitation for Sarah will be held Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at 9702 - Newcomer's Noland Road Chapel, 509 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64050. A funeral service will occur Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM at Newcomer's Noland Road Chapel, 509 S NOLAND RD, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64050. A committal service will occur Thursday, May 11, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Woodlawn Cemetery, 709 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64050.