Donald Edwards

Donald Edwards August 16, 1920 - April 26, 2012

Donald F. Edwards, age 91, of Morristown, passed away on April 26, 2012 at St. Mary''s Hospital in Rochester following a sudden illness. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, April 30, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 139 Mercy Drive, Faribault. Interment will be held at the Meadow Ridge Memorial Park, Faribault with military honors provided by the Rice County Central Veterans Association. Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. and at the church on Monday for one hour prior to services. The family prefers that memorials be directed to Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Divine Mercy Catholic School, Bethlehem Academy High School or to the ALS Foundation in memory of Don. Donald Francis, the son of George and Elvira (Battin) Edwards, was born on August 16, 1920 in Morristown, MN. He attended Morristown High School and graduated with the class of 1938. Don served as a Fighter Pilot in the United States Naval Air Corps during World War II. On November 27, 1948 he was united in marriage to Helen DeFrees at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Faribault. Don and Helen were lifelong farmers in Warsaw Township and retired from farming in 2000. During his farming years Don also worked as a welder, first at Nutting Truck and Caster Co. and later at Humphrey Manlift, retiring in 1985. Don also worked part time as a custodian at the New Market Rest Area after retiring from farming until the age of 88. Don was a faithful, quiet, patient and loving man who loved his family very much. He enjoyed going with them on their annual family vacation up north when their children were growing up. Part of this trip was fishing and Don was an avid fisherman. He also had a passion for flying and had his own plane that he and Helen would take on countless rides around southern Minnesota. Don was selected as the 2005 Rice County Senior Citizen of the Year and was also a member of the Rice County Sheriff''s Association. The Edward''s Family would like to thank the staff at Bernie''s Grill for their kindness and great friendship over the years. Don and Helen considered you part of their special family. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Helen Edwards of Morristown; by six children, Craig (Nancy) Edwards of Ada, MN, Merrie Carol (Dave) Carter of Dallas, TX, Donna (Mike) Reuvers of Faribault, Tony (Pam) Edwards of Faribault, Marsha (Mike) DeGroot of Dundas, MN and Robert (Karen) Edwards of Salt

Lake Smith Michael, preceded three in-law, City, brother-in-laws, of Jean Florida, MN, in UT; death Edwards. Keith by Kenneth 15 by Edwards grandchildren his Ernie parents, (Arlene) Gardner, of Blaine, two Edwards and Chuck sisters, MN 14 great and of Smith Virginia Austin, other grandchildren; and relatives Edwards MN, Roger Eunice Satterlund and and by Satterlund four friends. Florence siblings, and Gardner, by of Thelma St. his He sister- was