John Steve Edmondson

U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.) John Steve Edmondson was born on January 7, 1953 in Tifton Georgia to the late J.E. and Harriett H. Edmondson. His childhood was spent in Georgia on family farms and playing in a neighborhood band. Steve left High School a year early to attend Emory at Oxford and then transferred to Emory University in Atlanta to pursue his dream of becoming a physician. Steve graduated from Emory in 1974, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was accepted to The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia, and graduated in June of 1978. He joined the U.S. Navy and did two years of his residency at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1980, and finished his residency in Emergency Medicine in San Diego, California at the Balboa Hospital.

Steve’s storied Naval career included numerous cruises on many different ships, including the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS Charlotte (SSN-766), USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), USNS Mercy (T-AH19), and the USS Saratoga (CV-60). He served two tours in Okinawa, Japan, and one in CENTCOM with Joint Task Force Middle East. He served the Navy in Africa, Japan, South America, the Middle East, Great Britain, and Southeast Asia. As a flight surgeon, he responded to the Black Hawk down crisis in Somalia in 1993. He also served as the Medical Director for Pearl Harbor Hospital in Hawaii. His most memorable position was as the Chief Medical Surgeon at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, overseeing the care and treatment of terrorists from conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.) John Steve Edmondson served honorably in the United States Navy for 30 years attending several military schools including Flight surgeon school, Airborne School, SERE-C, Command and General Staff College, and The Naval War College. He received the following military awards for his actions: Legion of Merit (4), Meritorious Service MDL; Navy and Marine Commendation Medal; Navy and Marine Achievement Medal; Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon before retiring in the Washington DC area.

He loved to fly and travel. Steve trained and received his private pilot’s license and flew to several different countries. His hobbies included teaching, playing the piano, wood working and cooking.

U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.) Edmondson is survived by his sisters Lynn E Chestnutt (Gene) of Columbus, Ga. and Joy Edmondson, nephews Joshua G. Chestnutt (Erica) of Columbus, Ga., niece Carrie C. Cooper (Brant) of Savannah, Ga., Jacob E Roberson of Tifton, Ga., great nephews William Chestnutt and Tucker Cooper, great nieces Elizabeth Chestnutt, Katherine Chestnutt, Alexandra Chestnutt and Rowan Cooper. Aunt Bettye H. Custard of Arlington, Va., Uncle Alexander Hornbuckle (Myric) of Leesburg, Ga. along with many beloved cousins.

He passed away in Columbus, Ga. on January 19, 2024 at age 71 after a brief illness. His final resting place will be Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC. Details to be determined at a future date and time.