Dr. James Howard Edmonson

Services for James Howard Edmonson age 74 will be Tuesday February 7 2006 at 10:00 AM at the North Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons with Dr. William L. Hacker officiating assisted by Ivy Scarborough. Burial will follow in Ridgecrest Cemetery where military services will be observed. Dr. Edmonson died Friday February 3 2006 at his residence. He was born in Sylacauga Alabama son of the late Cecil and Flora Owings Edmonson. Dr. Edmonson a distinguished educator graduated from Howard College Samford University with a BA in 1957 graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1961 with the M.Div degree received the MA in 1963 from Louisiana State University and the Ph.D degree from Louisiana State in 1971. He did additional graduate work at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1987 studied geography of England in England and at Pacific Lutheran University in 1990 and received his law degree in August 1996. Dr. Edmonson served as history faculty member at Union University from 1965-1992 and was Chair of the History Department from 1971 to 1990. He also served on the Board of Chairman and as Division Convener for two years. He had also taught at Middle Tennessee State University Lane College and Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs Georgia. He served with the U. S. Army during the Korean Conflict and remained in the Army Reserves until 1987 gaining the rank of Full Colonel in 1976. After graduation from the seminary he changed from the artillery to the chaplaincy and in 1972 was assigned to the Chief of Army Chaplains Office at the Pentagon in Washington DC as a Mobilization Designated Officer. In addition to his teaching positions Dr. Edmonson served as pastor of Woodlawn Baptist Church in Nut Bush Tennessee in Haywood County from 1973 until April of 2005. Dr. Edmonson used his leadership and administrative skills in numerous civic activities. He served on many city county and state governmental committees was elected as a delegate in 1971 to serve on the Tennessee Constitutional Convention and served three terms on the State Democratic Executive Committee. He served as a member of the Tennessee Historical Commission and had served on the Madison County Board of Commissioners. Survivors include his wife of fifty-one years Frances T. Edmonson; two daughters Betsy Porter and her husband Dwight of Jackson TN and Dr. Deborah Thoni and her husband Dr. Kevin Thoni of Orlando FL; one son Dr. James D. Edmonson and his wife Julie of Corinth MS; two sisters Cecil Jean Robinson and Helen Brand both of Columbiana AL and fourteen grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother Kelly Coleman Jr. Casketbearers to serve are Nicholas Thoni Tucker Thoni C. L. Shelton Patrick Bynum Jeff Suggs and Roy Shelton. The family will receive friends at the North Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons Monday from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. Memorials may be directed to Jackson State Community College Foundation Hospice or the Cancer Society. George A. Smith and Sons North Chapel 731-427-5555