Robert Dean Edwards

Robert Dean Edwards was called home to our Lord, Jesus Christ, on July 2, 2013. Bob has rejoined his beloved wife of 70 years, Malaine Edwards, who passed last year on June 11, 2012. They are now together again, young and strong, walking the gardens of paradise in heaven.

Bob was born on January 18, 1920 in his family’s farm house in Iowa where he grew up in rural America. When he was 19 years old he lost his father in a traffic accident and decided to see the country. He rode the rails for a year until settling in California to work in the movie business. While working at his brother’s grocery store one afternoon he met a pretty gal named Malaine Burnett who happened to be shopping for her grandmother. They courted each other in the fall of 1941 until the attack on Pearl Harbor. Like many of the men in those days, Bob enlisted in the Army and he and Malaine were married on March 22, 1942. The very next day, Bob shipped out to the South Pacific with the 8th Army Air Corp Photo Recon Squadron. Bob became a Crew Chief in charge of maintaining 8 to 10 P-38 lightening aircraft used for scouting potential targets for the Army and Navy fighting in the South Pacific. Bob saw action in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Philippine Islands, Okinawa and finally Guam. He returned home in September of 1945.

Upon returning to civilian life, Bob enrolled at USC on the GI bill and earned a bachelor’s degree. Following graduation, he began a long and successful career as a sales manager for Transamerica Insurance Company. In 1952 Bob became father to his daughter, Cheryl Edwards Wertheimer Netzley. Together with Malaine, Bob lived the American dream of having a home, family, dear friends and a long and happy life. He and Malaine lived in the home they retired to, located in Westlake Village and each passed on to the Lord at home, each surrounded by their family and dear friends.

Robert Edwards is survived by his daughter Cheryl Wertheimer Netzley, Grandson, Stephen Wertheimer and his fiancé, Kim Ramierez, Son-In-Law David Netzley and step Granddaughter, Heidi Netzley.

Services for Robert Edwards will be held this Saturday, July 20th at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks in Westlake Village with Visitation at 1:00PM and Memorial Services beginning at 2:00PM. Family, friends, neighbors and anyone wishing to honor the memory of a WWII veteran are welcome to attend.