Dr. Donald B. Edwards

VERO BEACH - Dr. Donald Birchard Edwards of Vero Beach, Florida passed away at the age of 66 on Monday, October 27, 2014. Don was born in Hartford, Connecticut to the late Earle Eugene and Harriet Browne Edwards. His family moved to Clewiston, Florida where Don attended and graduated from Clewiston High School with his three younger brothers. Don attended and graduated from Fairmont State College in West Virginia where he played as a lineman on the football team. He proceeded to East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee where he received his masters in biology, then he attended the West Virginia School of Dentistry. Don performed his general practice residency at Carswell Air Force Base Regional Hospital in Texas, then worked as a general dentist at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. He served his Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Residency at University Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida where he also served as Chief Resident of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery. Don went on to be an oral surgeon with the Air Force at Yakota Air Force Base and Patrick Air Force Base. After being honorably discharged from the United States Air Force in 1991 and joining the Air Force Reserves, Don entered into private practice with Dr. Glen Fritz. Don was a member of the American Dental Association, American Society of Dental Anesthesia, American Association of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, Tri-County Dental Society, Florida Dental Association, Florida Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Xi Psi Phi Dental Fraternity. Don had a genuine love for the outdoors, and from this grew a fondness for fishing and caring for his pets. His delight and joy for being outside was immeasurable, and he and his wife spent wonderful days together horseback riding. Survivors include wife, Cynthia "Cindy" Edwards of Vero Beach; daughter and son-in-law, Leslie and Scott Stanton of Raleigh, North Carolina; son and daughter-in-law, Garrett and Dawn Edwards of Westbrook, Maine; father and mother-in-law, George and Shirley Roska of Cocoa Beach; brothers and sisters-in-law, Chip and Mary Edwards, Jeff and Cindy Edwards and Webster Edwards of Clewiston; grandchildren, Eli and Nathan Edwards of Westbrook, Maine and Aaron, Aimee and Anna Stanton of Raleigh, North Carolina; sister-in-law, Kathie McDaniel of Palm Bay, Florida; and a niece Miranda McDaniel also of Palm Bay. In addition to his parents, Don was was preceded in death by his stepson, Mason Garrett Noyes. Memorial contributions may be made to Dogs For Life, P.O. Box 650023, Vero Beach, FL 32965; American Wild Horse Preservation, PO Box 1048, Hillsborough, NC 27278; or, the Mental Health Association of Indian River County, 820 37th Place, Vero Beach, FL 32960. The family received friends at Strunk Funeral Home in Vero Beach on Saturday, November 1, 2014 beginning at 12 p.m. and ending at 1 p.m. in the afternoon. Immediately following was a memorial to celebrate Don's life with military honors by the Patrick Air Force Base Honor Guard Unit. For those wishing to share kind words and genuine thoughts with the family, a guest book is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.