My Brother-in-law: A stand up man among other men (Part 2)
By Doug Mottonen
One interesting thing about Walt is he read almost every book he could find about the Civil War. He knew probably knew more about the Civil War than most college History Professors. He knew about the ugliness of war and all of the lessons it can teach us. Maybe all of this interest about wars was Walt’s way of having his two wonderful children, Terilee and Brad, understand him as a man and father?
	Children of the Great Depression are frugal. Walt are Carma were such a couple. But they wanted their two children to go to college.  Through sacrifice and good money management, they helped them wth a college educations. Not surprising, both Terilee and Brad are college graduates and they have a keen sense of American History .
As the years went by Walt’s wife, Carma, developed Alzheimer’s. Anyone who has first hand knowledge of this disease knows the difficulties and sadness it presents. Walt, like any Marine would, stepped up to the plate and became a loving, sensitive caregiver.  I will always dearly love Walt for how he treated my sister. Marines are not whiners and excuse makers. 
It is only fitting that Walt be buried at Quatico with other Marines. He lived his life with all the lessons learned as a Marine. He will always be an American HERO. 


My Brother-in-law: A stand up man among other men (Part 1)
By Doug Mottonen
At an early age Walt Edwards enlisted in the Marine Core. He never, ever thought it was a burden but his duty.    That experience along with growing up during the Great Depression shaped his personality going forward. His common approach to life is best described by Tom Brokaw’s book The Greatest Generation. Walt was a man who took responsibility for his life decisions. When he married my sister, Carma, over 60 years ago, it has never crossed my mind they would ever divorce. That was because Walt was from that generation who believed marriage is a “commitment” and divorce was not an option.   By today standards that reasoning would be naïve, but is it?
	Shortly after my sister married Walt he gave me a Japanese pistol. Being a young teenager and impressionable I said, Wow! This is really neat. Walt explained that I needed to be careful and get someone to help me learn how to use it. What I really wanted him to do was tell me some stories about the gun. But never would tell me much of anything. Many years later I found out his generation never talked much about the war. If you are a Marine you never brag about war because you are just doing your duty. 
	After college Walt took a job as a retail manager for national company. His work took him to various cities in the Western United States. He worked 12 hours per day 6 days a week. But working hard and long hours is second nature to someone who grew up in the shadow of the Great Depression.    I used to admire how hard he worked and it was an inspiration to me to also learn to work hard. He was soon transferred to New York and his company unfortunately went out of business. As luck would have it Walt got a job with the Marines. For many years he found the second love of his life close to the other Marines. 

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Walter Wendell Edwards

July 28, 1925 – November 27, 2018

Demaine Funeral Home

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