Bruce Edwards

On a warm day in August a native son of Georgia found his way to the promised land. The youngest son of six children was a happy go lucky boy who had a knack for persuading and organizing folks to do just about anything. You might say he was a sort of Huckleberry Finn who could convince all the kids in the neighborhood to whitewash that picket fence his daddy wanted done as a chore. Bruce, more formerly known as Robert Bruce Edwards, was born on a warm June morning in 1930. The year was the end of a decade of great economic wealth and the beginning of great economic hardship. Bruce wore many hats in his lifetime. He was son, brother, soldier; husband, father, and grandfather. He took on many roles, but the most meaningful of all was that he was a member of a family; a family of individuals with unique experiences, memories, and personalities who all carry a part of him inside of their hearts. Some of us called him Daddy; others PawPaw; others just "Bruce".

Robert Bruce Edwards came from a long line of Georgians dating all the way back to 1756. He was born to Mattie Pearl Hammock Edwards and Freddie Ray Edwards in Decatur, Georgia and later moved to Hill Street In Atlanta. Bruce was born in the home that his father built. He fondly recalled the "house with the star on the door". Eventually, the family relocated to Tucker, Georgia where he was a student and graduated from Tucker High School, a rural school at the time, in a close knit community. Bruce was a likeable teenager with many friends. He was known for his outstanding sportsmanship in football, basketball, and track. One of the many recollections from Bruce's school days was that he never cursed, but he did like to say "Phooey" a lot. He wasn't a traditional sort of guy. He would step out of the box from time to time. He was the first male student in Georgia to enroll in "Home Economics" and he was recognized in a local newspaper for the honor with a photo of himself ironing on an ironing board. Those school days passed moving Bruce into more turbulent times. Korea was on the brink of war. In 1949 he was drafted, left for boot camp and was shipped out to Korea. He was rated as an MP (military police); and later was appointed as an assistant to an officer and coordinated many important meetings and organizational military events. Although it is very difficult to imagine the devastation that resulted from that war, it is easy to imagine the compassion and care that Bruce innately held in his person. He spent much of his free time going out in the field to search for children who were bombed out of their homes and had lost both parents. He rescued them and placed them in an orphanage that he put together where they could be seen to properly. The Air Force Activity unit he was attached to was part of the Joint Operations Unit 24th Division, the 6147 Tactical Control Squadron (later became 6147 Tactical Control Group). The unit was mainly concerned with communications organization. The nick name "Mosquito Squadron" became popular when the unit was assigned the call signals "Mosquito Able" and "Mosquito How".

Bruce was discharged in 1956, returned to Georgia, with his family, and began a short lived career as an insurance agent in Rome, Georgia. Eventually he was employed by a long time business in Atlanta called Fasher Painting and Decorating Company where two of his brothers and father were employed. Although he enjoyed working with his family he knew he wanted to pursue his interests in Georgia politics. He became a self contractor in the painting and decorating profession to allow more freedom to work with the Republican Party of Georgia. Bruce was one of the many grassroots organizers of the efforts to restore Republican political influence in the State. He focused on DeKalb County where he performed valuable research, recruitment, and registered thousands of citizens as voting Georgia Republicans. He was a key player in nearly all local and national campaigns and personally assisted in several Georgia gubernatorial campaigns and elections in his efforts to accomplish national goals. He was an acquaintance of President Ronald Reagan, Secretary of the National Treasury Howard Hollis Callaway, Sr (also known as "Bo" Callaway); and many other historically significant Republicans. In the course of his career, Bruce made the decision to pursue his earlier law enforcement interests and became employed with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department serving with the nationally recognized Fugitive Squad whose function was to seek and apprehend significant and most wanted criminals. He was also involved in many charitable fundraisers benefiting various groups in DeKalb County. Never having been one to lay down his badge, he accepted a position with the Fulton County Marshal's Office. Bruce enjoyed a long and accomplished career, received numerous awards, and made his final retirement in 1995. He and his wife Joni made their permanent home in Snellville, Georgia where he enjoyed his hobbies of woodworking, bird watching, and his appreciation of all things natural. He and his wife looked forward to their many trips to visit with children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends. All that have known him will miss his interesting insights and entertaining stories told over the years. He will be greatly missed.

Robert Bruce Edwards is preceded in death by his loving wife of 29 years, Anna "Joni" Meyer Edwards; his parents Mattie Pearl Hammock Edwards and Freddie Ray Edwards; brothers Winifred Edwards and Raymond Edwards; and sister Lela Boggus. He is survived by his brothers Phillip Lamar Edwards and Fred Ray Edwards, Jr; by his children and step children Robbie Edwards Millner, Joyce Ann Edwards, Robert Bruce Edwards, Jr, Laurie Edwards Rebhann, Phillip Lamar Edwards, Stephanie Sands Bryant, Sven Jeffery Sands, Sandy Sands Tromm, grandchildren Erin Sargent, Robert Bruce Edwards, III, Blake Edwards, Heather Rebhann Failyer, Christin Rebhann Pye, Phillip Edwards, Jr., Melissa Brown, Neill Cameron, Carter Cameron, Sven Sands, Kenny Sands, Emory Sands, and Timmy Sands; and great grandchildren Avery Sargent, Christian Sargent, Jacob Sands, Trinity Failyer, Aiden Failyer, Colton Pye, and Will Edwards.