George Edgar Eddins III

George Edgar Eddins, III passed away on June 3, 2025, at age 72 with his family by his side. He was known affectionally as Winky, Wink, G3, and Papa. Born August 22,1952 in New York City to Dr. George Edgar Eddins, Jr. and Elizabeth Catherine Matt Eddins. He was proud to be a Leo, a lion-hearted spirit, something he shared with his son George. He grew up on Meadow Mist Farm in Albemarle, NC and graduated from Albemarle Senior High School in 1970. Upon graduation, he moved to Charlotte, NC to begin college and spent the remainder of his life there. With a brilliant mind and inspired by drafting and shop class, interest in physics, and intuitive study of the wonders of nature, George pursued a passion for architecture. George first attended Central Piedmont Community College earning his Associate of Applied Science in Architectural Technology and then UNC-Charlotte’s College of Architecture earning his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 1978.

He was a country boy by heart and a city-slicker by style, enjoying time with family and friends across Stanly County and the Appalachian Mountains as well as New York City and Charlotte. He had a true sense of adventure and wonder with a love and respect for nature. While in college, George spent a summer on an adventure of a lifetime backpacking solo around Europe exploring various cultures, cuisines, people, and architecture.

George will be remembered by friends and family for times together at horse shows; the infamous monkey, Binky, who he ordered from the Sears Roebuck catalog for Christmas and arrived at the Salisbury train station, causing trouble for years to come; playing Pop Warner football; the Eddins family participating in many local parades like the 1957 Albemarle centennial when they dressed in period costumes and bought a brand new surrey for their horse Copper to pull but the goat ate all the fringe off the top beforehand, the time Winky made a goat cart to ride Billy the goat through the children’s parade, or the chariot pulled by Bartol the palomino pony with Winky dressed the part; Sundays in Palmerville with extended family; summers with the whole Eddins-Glasson family at the Wading River house; the rides up the east coast with his feet on either side of his mama’s head and the overheated watermelon exploding in the back of the station wagon; playing in their high school band The Changing Times; drives in his Singer Roadster and Jaguar XKE, which later evolved into minivans; trips to the beach, searching for ghost crabs at night; sailing on Take Time; competitive games of backgammon; dock parties at Holiday Marina; playing pirates on Treasure Island with his kids and family friends; his famous grilled food; his sense of humor; many outdoor adventures including scouting, boating, camping, and snow skiing, dreaming big, and deep conversations about economics, politics, world events, nature, and spirituality.

George was a brilliant designer, creative problem solver, and artist. Regardless of the object or its purpose, he loved to reimagine its design, how it could be improved, and how it could be made to be beautiful for no other reason than why should we accept anything less? He happily explored, invented, and created objects of purpose and beauty. He never lost the ability to be awestruck and to dream big.

He began his career working for architectural firms in Charlotte, including Wolf Associates and Middleton McMillian Architects. He was recognized by many for his artistry and innovative approach to creating detailed architectural scale models by hand. His work allowed the client to truly visualize in 3D the end result of what the architectural firm designed far more effectively than 2D drawings allow. As his dad shared with him in admiration, “He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist”.

George was very independent and attracted to the freedom to create. George honored his unique talents and worth and boldly began George Eddins Associates in 1985. He liked the opportunity to lead projects start to finish, which he said felt like he was cutting out the notes of a piece of music and arranging them together. He did many great projects including large office parks and hospitals for clients such as Faison Associates, Little & Associates, and Clark Tribble Harris & Li. He first worked out of his beautiful home in historic Dilworth until he and his wife had their first child. He then opened an office and studio on East Boulevard, which also served as a gathering place for dear friends, deep conversations, and coloring studio for his kids. Today, that area has been rebuilt and currently the new location of the Dilworth TCBY, which his children frequented at its original location around the corner.

George loved being on the water and in nature. Whether it was paddling out to Spook Island on Badin Lake to camp out as a kid, taking his wooden canoe all the way down the Pee Dee River from Morrow Mountain to the beach, taking his Papa’s fishing boat to catch lobster with his mother in the Long Island Sound, learning to sail a Sunfish at Camp Morehead, sailing with his dad on their sailboat Take Time on Lake Norman, grillin’ and chillin’ while pulling his three kids on the ski biscuit inner tubes behind the sail boat, or taking his jetboat through the intracoastal waterway, to watch the fireworks reflect on the water on the 4th of July, into remote areas of Lake Norman to watch ospreys and great blue herons nest, through the Atlantic to ride the waves with the dolphins, or the Falls Reservoir between the dams to see the bald eagles soar.

While George had many great adventures and loves in his life, his world was forever changed with the birth of his first and only grandchild, Hudson. George III became Papa III in 2021, adopting the name and important role his father and grandfather played before him. The first time they met, they locked eyes in a way as if their spirits recognized one another.

George loved Morrow Mountain. As a kid, he would pack a lunch, hop on his horse, and be gone all day riding through the woods. Maybe even more than being on the lake with them, George loved to take his kids camping there. He chose to put little George’s ashes where the Uwharrie and Yadkin rivers meet at the base of the mountain, becoming the Pee Dee River and flowing to none other than Georgetown, SC. The greatest pain of George’s life was losing his son and namesake and then his father shortly thereafter. George was devoted to caring for his father the last few years of Doc’s life, ensuring he could stay in his home and community he loved as long as possible. George would take his dad to events, their favorite restaurants, care for the horses through mud, rain, and snow knowing how much purpose they brought his dad for so many years. When Buck had to part with his horses, Winky started taking him to Morrow Mountain to see the deer regularly. Now, all four of the George Edgar Eddins are reunited. George always wanted his ashes to be spread at Morrow Mountain, and his children are pleased to carry out his wishes.

George and Devi Anna asked one another to dance to My Girl by The Temptations for their father-daughter dance at her wedding. She has always loved that song because she can’t help but be happy and start dancing, think of Dad, and particularly loves the line “I even have the month of May with my girl,” the month George became a father. Devi Anna and Ravi will forever be grateful to have spent the month of May with their dad advocating for his care, looking out for his wellbeing, laughing about old stories, and helping him with whatever he needed.

George was surrounded by his family and his dog Binky III, yes like the monkey and first chihuahua, in his final hours listening to his favorite music by The Allman Brothers Band, Carlos Santana, and The Temptations. He left this world at golden hour, sailing off into the sunset.

George is survived by his daughter Devi Anna Eddins Walters (Nicholas James Walters) and son Ravi Edward Eddins, their mother Rashmi Pandey Eddins, his grandson Hudson Devas Walters, his doggie Binky, his sisters Elizabeth Anne Eddins Laughridge (W.J. Laughridge, III) and Barbara Eddins Little, nine first cousins and thirteen nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth Catherine Matt Eddins, father Dr. George Edgar Eddins, Jr., son George Edgar Eddins, IV, mother-in-law Usha Chaturvedi Pandey, father-in-law Ram Lal Pandey, brother-in-law Alok Pandey, and a few best friends who were like brothers.

The family will hold a private family gathering for the cremation on Wednesday June 11 at Forest Lawn West in Charlotte and host a Celebration of Life later this summer. Details for the celebration will be provided here at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a meaningful cause of your choice or to the George E. Eddins, III scholarship through the Stanly Community College Foundation, 141 College Drive, Albemarle, NC 28001.