Edwards Holly Marie Kerr

Dr. Holly Marie Kerr Edwards, a caregiver and bridge builder, went to be home with the Lord on Saturday, January 7, 2017, leaving a legacy of serving the community as vice-mayor of Charlottesville, nurse, advocate for those in public housing and activist. Holly was born on March 7, 1960, in Washington, D.C., to the late Naval Research Laboratory physicist, Rudolph H. Kerr, and the late Bernice Kerr, who was an educator in the Washington D.C. school system. Holly attended Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in the Washington D.C. where she completed her high school education one year early. Holly attended Hampton Institute graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1981. During her time at Hampton she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in 1979. Holly went on to continue her education with a Masters of Education-Counseling Psychology from Howard University in 1984. Holly then returned to Hampton University, where she graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science-Nursing. After completing her education she moved to Charlottesville and began working for the University of Virginia Health System. While working there she chartered the Black Nurses Association in Charlottesville. In 1992, while attending a church service at Tonsler Park, Louise Swift, introduced her to Kendrick Edwards. A year later, to the day, they were married. To this union they had two sets of twin girls. Her community outreach included working with many public housing sites in the area and she was stationed as a parish nurse at Westhaven through Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA). Her mantra was "to meet people where they are". Holly Edwards served on the Charlottesville City Council from 2008 to 2011 and was vice mayor the last two years wherein she orchestrated the Dialogue on Race. She also worked with Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR), was a lifetime member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and member of the Board of Directors of the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center. Holly's accolades include: the University of Virginia Outstanding Contribution Award in 1994, the 2005 University of Virginia Health System Community Service Award, the 2015 John E. Baker Community Education Award, the 2016 UVA Graduate Student Diversity Award for Excellence and most recently her name was added to the city's West Main Street bridge as a recipient of the Drewary J. Brown Community Bridge Builder Award. Holly is survived by her husband of 24 years, Kendrick Wayne Edwards; her brother, Ronald Kerr and his wife, Judy; four daughters, Christen, Shelby, Bernice and Jean; a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends that are like family. A funeral service celebrating her life will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church, 105 Lankford Ave., with the Rev. Alvin Edwards officiating and Brenda Brown-Grooms delivering the eulogy. Interment will follow in Holly Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the church from 9 until 11 a.m. The Eta Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will hold its public memorial service at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family in care of Mt Zion First African Baptist Church, 105 Lankford Ave. Charlottesville, VA 22903. J. F. Bell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. www.jfbellfuneralservices.com.