Nina Barnhill Edwards

Nina Barnhill Edwards, age 89, passed away on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Nina was the daughter of Ashton Leggett Berry and Jane Mayers Berry. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Horace D. Barnhill, her second husband, John Crandon Edwards, and their son, Johnny Edwards.

John was the love of her life. John and Nina’s marriage of 43 years was one of love, care, faithfulness, and devotion. They traveled many interesting places together, and enjoyed many years at their houses at Pleasant Garden and Badin Lake. Great family memories were created at The Lake with their children and grandchildren.

Nina, and her twin sister Fay, were the last children to be born in a family of thirteen. Her life began near the beginning of the Great Depression to an impoverished tenant farming family in Eastern North Carolina. As with so many farm families during that time, money was scarce, life hard, sometimes cruel, and, to survive, work was required of all, even the youngest children. In her very formative years, economic calamity was always very near. In such circumstances, some people see life as it is and accept it, others see life as it might be and try to achieve it. Nina was an achiever.

The Protestant Work Ethic was alive and well with Nina. Her intellect, reliability, tenacity, and determination to succeed were dominant attributes in her working career. Those characteristics took her from being a textile mill worker, at the young age of 15, to being awarded numerous achievement citations during her successful thirty year career at Southern Bell Telephone (later AT&T). After “retiring” she worked for Telco Credit Union for another 15 years. She was a “career woman” long before the term had been coined.

John and Nina were charter members of Southeast Baptist Church, where they were active and committed members, interested both in the growth of the church and the church body. Their involvement in the church, and in the lives of the people, were of inestimable value to them. It is fair to say that they gave much but received even more.

Surviving children include Tony Barnhill and wife Sharon, Charles M. (Mickey) Barnhill and wife Gwen, Linda E. Stedman, Charles T. Edwards and wife Susan, Barbara E. Eichelberger, and Elizabeth E. Geddes and husband Todd. Also surviving are 16 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. Nina wanted her children to be proud of her and, indeed, they were.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Friends Home West and Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro for their thoughtful and attentive care of Nina. They were wonderful. The family also wishes to thank Southeast Baptist Church and, specifically, Al and Pat Lamachio, Al and Pat’s attention to John and Nina’s spiritual needs, even after disability prevented their church attendance, was a testimony to Christian love.

Online condolences may be made at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com.

A private family graveside service will be held at a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to: Friends Home West, 6100 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, NC 27410 or to Southeast Baptist Church, 5011 Liberty Rd., Greensboro, NC 27406