Michael Edwards

Dr. Michael Edwards, or Mickey, as he was called by his family, passed away at his home in Brookline Massachusetts on April 9th, 2025. He was surrounded by his wife Brenda, his three children and grandchildren.

He was born on September 4, 1937 to Merle and Marion Edwards in the small railroad town of Enderlin, North Dakota. His father had to work three jobs to make ends meet. His family settled in Minneapolis in 1944.

Michael attended Washburn High School in Minneapolis, where he was a top student. He played on the Washburn tennis team and won several doubles tournaments during high school. With very good grades and extracurricular activities, he won a scholarship to Harvard, from which he graduated in 1959.

Michael met his future wife Brenda Fisher at the Harvard graduation of his older brother Charles in 1957. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1959, he attended medical school at the University of Minnesota. To help with his medical school bills, he worked as a night watchman at a warehouse. Night shift was a great time to study, but left him sleepy during daytime classes. He found it hard to take notes, and used borrowed notes from classmates. Despite this, he earned top grades and graduated from medical school in 1962.

After graduating medical school, Michael served in the military and spent a tour as a doctor in an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War, having to leave a young wife and two of his young children back home.

As an M.D. Michael started his medical residency at the Peter Bent Brigham hospital in Boston. Thereafter he worked as an anesthesiologist at several Boston medical institutions, the longest of which was at Union Hospital in Lynn. He retired at 75 from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Those who worked with him remarked that he was an unusually attentive listener and used the information he gleaned from his patients and colleagues to attend to his patients with precision and care. His creativity and kindness shined in the way he cared for children. He would bring them into the operating room on a red wagon rather than a stretcher. After surgery he would hold his youngest patients in his arms so they would avoid disorientation and feel safe upon their awakening.

Michael took up windsurfing at 46 which he pursued until his late 60's. Michael liked to craft and fix things, building decks, fixing bikes and brewing beer before it became fashionable. He was an avid gardener and loved to take his grandchildren on bike rides and in his pickup truck to get pastry. Michael was a voracious reader and shared his love of games and sports with his children and grandchildren. His fine character and dry wit helped in overcoming challenges and to calm those in dire straits. He was a part of the Chabad of Newton Centre congregation for many years before moving to the Brown Family House in Brookline where he lived until his passing.

Graveside service at the Lawrence Avenue Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury on Thursday, April 10 at 5pm.

Shiva, FRIDAY ONLY from 1-3pm at his late residence.

NO FLOWERS PLEASE.

Remembrances may be made to ZAKA, https://zakaworld.org/ (dedicate 'In honor / memory of' Dr. Michael Edwards) or Chabad of Newton Centre, www.chabadnewton.com.

May his memory be of blessing to all.