James M. Edwards

James McNutt Edwards was born in Del Rio, Texas on September 16, 1933 to parents Walter Kieffer Edwards and Jimmie Pauline (McNutt) Edwards. He passed away in Bryan, Texas on February 7, 2022 at the age of 88.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, March 12, 2022 at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan. Family will receive guest one hour prior to service time.

Jim graduated from Johnson City High School, where he played football and basketball, and also met his future wife, Marlene Collins in the 8th grade. They were the homecoming king and queen before graduating together. Jim spent 1954-55 in the Army and was stationed in France for most of that time. While there, he met Rev. Billy Graham. Jim and Marlene married in 1956 in Johnson City, and they saw Elvis and Johnny Cash on their honeymoon in Louisiana.

After getting out of the service, Jim attended Texas A&M University and graduated in 1960 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Jim spent most of his working career at Alenco in Bryan and opened a plant for them in Georgia where he met Governor Jimmy Carter. He spent a few years in Houston managing another plant and worked quite a number years as a construction manager at D.R. Cain in Bryan. After retiring, Jim and Marlene moved back to Johnson City, spending their last active years in the community where they met and grew up. They always loved the Hill Country.

His favorite vacation was the annual family camping trip to Lake LBJ. He would spent weeks planning and packing the car and boat for 10 days of camping, water skiing and fishing in the Texas outdoors. Once the kids were grown, Jim enjoyed traveling with Marlene, including fishing trips to Matagorda as well as ski trips to Colorado and New Mexico.

Jim was active in the First United Methodist Church in Bryan for 30 years, and also in the Methodist churches in Houston and Johnson City.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Marlene Edwards; son Darrell Edwards and his wife Yvonne; son Ron Edwards and his wife Pam; and daughter Valerie Edwards; grandchildren Ryan and Traci; and siblings Patsy Hewett and George Edwards. His brother Walter Edwards preceded him in death.