Leta Triece Edwards

She was born in Welch, OK, on October 28, 1918, to Ross and Elsie Triece.

She was a bright, ambitious woman who attended Business College in Miami, OK. After working locally as a legal secretary, she soon moved to Washington, D.C. to satisfy her adventurous spirit. In D.C., she worked for the Merchant Marines until 1942, when at the age of 22, she joined the Navy to support the war effort. Leta was the first enlisted Wave to report to duty in Los Angeles and was selected to be part of a national recruiting drive for the Navy and Coast Guard.

She met many Hollywood celebrities, including Van Johnson, Mickey Rooney, Gary Cooper, Richard Denning, Margaret O'Brien, Walt Disney, and others. She served three years in the Navy and received an honorable discharge as Yeoman First Class. Leta continued to be a strong supporter of the Navy throughout her life, attending the dedication ceremony of the Navy Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C. while in her eighties.

Leta worked at various jobs after the war until deciding to continue her education at the University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband-to-be, Harry Edwards, while they were both working and going to school on the GI Bill.

During her life as an Air Force wife and mother, she traveled and lived throughout Europe and the Middle East. She was a Girl Scout District Leader in London and met the founder of the Girl Scouts, Lady Baden-Powell, through her leadership activities.

After eventually settling in San Antonio upon her husband's retirement, Leta was a member of the Kelly Officers Wives' Club for many years, the Shavano Park Garden Club, and the Ol' Shavano Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution DAR. Tracing her family line to an ancestor in the Revolutionary War inspired an avid interest in genealogy. She was also an accomplished artist who sold numerous paintings over the years at the Starving Artist Shows on the Riverwalk.

Leta is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Floyd Triece.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lt. Col. Ret Harry L. Edwards; her sister, Lorene Davis of Miami, OK; and her daughters, Sandra Shirley; twin sister Sharon Mize and husband John; Pamela Rivas and husband Frank; Teresa Edwards; Valerie Carstens and husband Ron of Ocean Springs, MS; six grandchildren: Taylor Mize; Ryan, Rebecca and Mark Rivas; and Briana and Brittany Carstens; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.