Miriam Edwina Whitmire

NORTHPORT – Edwina O. Whitmire, age 86, of Northport, Ala., passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 18, 2016 at Heritage Health and Rehab. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, November 21, 2016 in Memory Hill Gardens. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Edward and Miriam Payne Ryan; her husband, Robert "Bob" E. Whitmire; and sister, Rebecca R. Hicks. Survivors include her daughter, Beth O. Mills (Danny), Terri O. Bailey (Tom) of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; son, Rick Oswalt of Northport, Ala.; sister, Nan R. Griffin of Greensboro, Ala.; niece, Nancy H. Jones of Germantown, Tenn.; granddaughters, Ryan E. Bailey Maass (Nic) of Atlanta, GA, Leah Oswalt of Northport,Ala.Miriam Edwina Ryan Oswalt Whitmire was born in Greensboro, Ala. She moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala. as a teenager and graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1948 and attended the University of Alabama. She worked at B.F. Goodrich and retired after 40 years. Edwina was the first woman promoted to management in the cost accounting department at the Tuscaloosa plant. On Saturdays one could always find Edwina working in her yard or shopping at garage/estate sales. She had a passion for gardening and became an avid collector of depression glass and antiques. Our "Mama" was a loving, caring and compassionate person, always putting her children before herself. Honorary pallbearers are former and current employees of B.F. Goodrich, Dr. Thomas McDermott and wife Suzanne, Dr. Scott Kemp, Dr. William Hill, Martinview Assisted Living, Hospice of West Alabama and Heritage Healthcare and Rehabiliation and friends and family. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of West Alabama. 3851 Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404.