Renee Edwards

the age of 79, after a 20 year battle with Parkinson’s disease. She was

an inspiration to all of those who knew her, always embracing life and

never complaining, even as her body steadily failed her over the years.

She was born in Augusta, Georgia, on October 3, 1940, the eldest

daughter of Edward “Bud” Sheehan and Mary McAuliffe. She was a

tomboy and rebel in her youth, often times pushing the envelope with a

twinkle in her eye. She maintained that mischievous spirit throughout

her life, even trying to hitch a ride on the back of a jet ski with her

grandson just a few weeks prior to her death.

Renee was a graduate of both the Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia,

and Marymount College in Virginia. In 1961, she married the love of her life,

Dr. Charles G. Edwards, a recent graduate from the Medical College of Georgia.

They spent the early years of their marriage traveling the world together

and creating a family. They lived in Rome, Georgia, Los Angeles, and

Munich, before finally setting roots in North Palm Beach and Juno.

Renee is survived by her husband, Charlie Edwards, and her four

children, Brian Gregory “Brig” Edwards, Susan Kathleen “Kelly” Parkey,

Michael Christopher Edwards, and David Trenton Edwards, as well as

her thirteen grandchildren: Douglas Parkey, Brandon Edwards, Cody

Parkey, Mackenzie Edwards, Macayla Edwards, Hunter Parkey,

Madison Edwards, Charles Edwards, Pace Edwards, Dash Edwards,

Scout Edwards, Reef Edwards and Crew Edwards. Renee is also

survived by her sister, Kathleen “Candy” O’Gara, and her brother,

Edward Jeremiah Sheehan, as well as her son-in-law, Douglas Parkey,

and her daughter-in-laws, Heidi Edwards, Lisa Edwards and Emily

Edwards. On the day of her passing, Renee’s first great grandson,

Easton Parkey, was born and their spirits must have certainly crossed

paths on the highway to heaven.

To those who knew her well, Renee “Cakes” Edwards was a living example of her faith.

She was an eternal optimist, always looking at the bright side of everything. She loved to

dance and sing and she was always in perpetual motion, even challenging her grandkids

to running races in her backyard. Her favorite phrase was “don’t fence me in” and that was

the way she lived her life.

She travelled to the far edges of the world with her husband (setting

foot on six of seven continents) and she loved to scuba dive in exotic

locations such as the Red Sea, the Seychelles and the Great Barrier

Reef. She was truly fearless, even hand-feeding a frenzy of black tip

sharks in Tahiti. Cakes was an avid tennis player, golfer, paddle

boarder, and piano player, and when she could not join in the fun

herself, then she could certainly be found in the stands cheering on her

children and grandchildren, each one of them convinced that they were

her favorite, because that is the way she made them feel.

Cakes was kind and generous and her capacity for love was endless. She never

met a stranger who was not instantly a friend, and each year her

husband and children would wonder what assortment of lost souls and

complete strangers would end up seated next to them at the Christmas

dinner table. Cakes was the very embodiment of Southern Hospitality

and Charm, and she maintained her distinctive Southern Accent her

entire life. She dressed like she lived her life, full of bright colors and

crazy floral patterns, always topped off with a fabulous hat. She

embraced life with every fiber of her being and her upbeat personality

was truly infectious. Cakes was one of a kind and she will be greatly

missed by her family and large circle of friends. Throughout her life she

would often say, “Don’t be sad because it’s over. Smile because it

happened!” And as her disease closed in on her she would tell her

husband and children: “Do not mourn me when I am gone. Just

celebrate what a wonderful life I have had!” And so we will, Cakes. The

family plans to host a Celebration of Life Party in her honor sometime

next Spring.