Eleanor Rae Edwards

August 24, 1929 – February 19, 2016

These dates frame the beautiful treasured gift of the life of Eleanor Rae Miller Edwards who was affectionately called “Momma” by her four children, endearingly called “Grandmother” by her eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, lovingly called “Eleanor” by many family members and friends and sweetly called “Sunshine” by her pulmonary doctor.

Her graciously loving, unselfishly generous, kindly caring, extremely humble, pleasantly happy, patiently understanding, compassionately helpful, quietly sweet, devotedly committed, faithfully strong and godly righteous life blessed this world when she was born on August 24, 1929 in Gulfport, Mississippi to Alfred Howard and June Erie Miller who preceded her in death. Raised in Gulfport with her two brothers and five sisters, she is survived by three of her sisters – Margaret Orr, Betty Miller and Marilyn Miller – who cherish and fondly remember all these years together.

After graduating from high school, Eleanor earned a two year associates degree at Clarke Memorial College in Newton, Mississippi, but more importantly, it was during those years that she met the love of her life. She and Mallie Gilbert Edwards, Jr. were married on October 15, 1950 in her mother’s home as they began a beautifully loving and faithfully strong committed journey of 51 years together which was only cut short by his death on September 23, 2002.

Together they celebrated the birth and rearing of their four children: Patricia (Pat) Wood, William (Bill) Edwards, June Gardner and Thomas (Tommy) Edwards. She was extremely proud of each of them and how well they are doing in life, and she made sure to tell them so before she passed away.

Through the years, she graciously welcomed into the family their spouses: Pat’s husband – Paul, Bill’s wife – Nyala, June’s husband – Mark and Tommy’s wife – Carla. She lovingly cherished her eight grandchildren: Stephanie Smith, Leslie Wood, Chris Edwards, Michael Edwards, Matthew Gardner, Tiffany Gardner, Megan Hightower and John Edwards. Eleanor had that beautiful gift of loving each one unconditionally and making each one feel uniquely special in their own way. And then without question, she lovingly adored her five great-grandchildren: Aidan Wood-Killough, Vanis Hightower, Amelia Hightower, Hattie Hightower and Evangeline Edwards. No doubt in her latter years, they were the reason for her to get up in the morning.

The consummate homemaker, committed wife, loving mother, devoted grandmother, sweet great-grandmother and helpful sister, Eleanor unselfishly gave her life to her family. She established and maintained a home through countless moves during the years following her husband’s career until they finally settled in Georgetown, Texas about twenty-five years ago. Never a whiner nor judgmental nor wanting them to worry nor wanting to be praised, she worked hard spoiling all of them, taking care of them, consoling them, supporting them, encouraging them, teaching them, praying for them and, in her mind, never doing enough for them.

With this same commitment and attitude, she gave herself as a gracious neighbor, a wonderful friend and, without question, a dedicated strong Christian. Raised a Baptist, she began her journey with Christ as a child, and she and Gilbert were faithful to join a Baptist church through all their moves and to raise their children in the church. As a member of First Baptist Church in Georgetown for some twenty-five years now, Eleanor faithfully and actively served her Lord teaching and being involved in Sunday School, attending worship service, volunteering at The Caring Place, teaching book reviews, but even more dear to her heart, leading out in Women on Mission and baking hundreds, if not thousands, of cookies for the church’s Cookie Ministry which she was instrumental in starting.

She possessed a passion for supporting missions – especially the Mary Hill Davis state mission emphasis, the Annie Armstrong North American mission emphasis and the Lottie Moon international mission emphasis. And not only did she bake the cookies for the Cookie Ministry, she delivered them as she visited folks in the nursing homes and first time visitors to the church – many of whom are members today because of her.

In the final analysis, she was a loving, giving and caring soul whose ultimate mission was taking care of everyone else! And in doing so, she enjoyed life which included fishing, gardening, traveling, camping, seeing the mountains and beautiful flowers, cooking (especially her roast and pralines but also her dressing, chicken spaghetti, cheese toast and cinnamon toast), making everyone’s favorite Birthday meal, finding the little things everyone liked, playing table games (especially Liverpool Rummy, Chicken Foot, Quiddler or Skip Bo), quilting (one for each grandchild), teaching the grandkids to cook, sew, be creative and have fun and maybe most importantly just being “Grandmother!”

Having lived out her abundantly full, aboundingly fruitful and abidingly faithful life, Eleanor passed away fighting the good fight and keeping the faith on February 19, 2016. But make no mistake, as she finished the journey of her earthly gift of life, her eternal gift of life began as she is now experiencing the reassuring promise of her Lord in John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  

May the following words which Eleanor had underlined in her Bible, bring you peace, comfort, strength and hope in the days ahead. “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”