Doris Marie Edwards

Mrs. Edwards was born Doris Marie Fendrich on June 11, 1922 in Salem, SD to John Anton Fendrich and Rose Marie McConnell. She grew up in Salem graduating from St. Mary's Catholic High School in 1940. In the summers from the age of 15 until she graduated from high school she worked the soda fountain in her father's drug store. Following high school she attended the University of South Dakota for one year. A secretarial position with a law firm took her to Chicago in the summer of 1941. This was the beginning of a life long career as a legal secretary. The bombing at Pearl Harbor took her to a position with the legal section of the War Department in Washington DC. She then returned to South Dakota in 1943 taking a position in a law firm in Rapid City where her parents had moved from Salem. She married Paul R. Smith, Jr. on January 13, 1945 and took a secretarial position at the Army-Air Corp base in San Angelo, TX where her new husband was a flight instructor. The couple returned to Rapid City at the end of WWII where she once again worked with her previous law firm while her husband attended college. Upon his graduation the couple moved to Silver City, NM where she was active in volunteer work in the community until the arrival of their first child in 1953. The couple moved with their new daughter to Fredericktown, MO in early 1954. A son was added to the family in 1955. They were transfered to McGill, NV in 1957. A second daughter arrived in the spring of that year. During this time Doris was a happy stay at home mother, caring for her young family.

1959 brought the young family to Colorado where her husband took a position in Golden, CO. The family settled in Arvada, CO and to help with the family finances Doris took a position with a law firm in Denver, CO. With the end of the marriage she was able to continue to support herself working as a legal secretary which she did until a brain tumor put an end to her career in 1997.

She married Victor G. Rose on March 16, 1965 and gained three step children whom she loved as much as her natural born children. Though this marriage also ended she maintained a relationship with her stepsons through the end of her life.

She married John Edwards on June 23, 1987. While she continued to work as a legal secretary the couple spent many happy days traveling. They went on cruises and traveled around the country with her bowling team. They also enjoyed golf together and went dancing every chance they had. When Mr. Edwards broke his hip and had to move to a nursing home in 1997 she faithfully visited him several times a week, continued to work and continued with her bowling team.

In late 1998 Mrs. Edwards life had to slow a little as she developed a brain tumor. Upon the removal of this tumor she had to retire as she was left with some disability in walking and could no longer drive. She was 76 years old and had worked for 61 years. Though she could not drive and needed a walker her life did not slow down. She often went to lunch with her many friends and spent many happy days with her children and grandchildren. In 2003 a heart condition forced her to move to Pearl Street Health Center. Even this move did not slow her down. While she lived at Pearl Street she served many times on the resident council. She made many suggestions for new activities for the residents insisting trips to the mountain casinos and restaurants would be a pleasure for them. While the casino trips stopped a few years ago the restaurant trips continue today. She was much loved by many of the residents and staff of Pearl Street.

Through her life Doris was an avid dancer and spent many a happy summer night at the now gone Trocadero Ballroom in the old Elitch Gardens as well as the dance floors of many local restaurants. She also was an avid bowler, belonging to two women's leagues until illness forced her to quit and a couples league throughout her second marriage. She would read anything and everything, passing this love of reading on to her daughters and through them to her grandchildren. She also loved to knit, crochet, and embroider creating many lovely items.

Mrs Edwards is survived by her son; Craig Smith and her daughters; Michelle (Marc) Gershon and Deborah Gill; her stepsons; Ronald (Betty) Rose and Barry (Debra Neilsen), her stepdaughters; Judith Rose and Janine (Terry) Polifka. She is also survived by her brother; John (LuAnne) of Peoria, IL and her sister; Patricia Dallman of Oklahoma City, OK. Also her dear friend Patty Meek, 11 grandchildren and their spouses as well as 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; John Edwards, her brother-in-law; Stanley Dallman and beloved son-in-law; David Gill Jr.

Donations are suggested to the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Foundation in honor of her late husband or a charity of your choice.