Steve Edwards Jr.

1930 - 2016

Steve Edwards, Jr.

Steve Edwards, Jr., 85, of Tallahassee died on May 27th, 2016. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 1st, at St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, followed by a reception at the church. A private graveside service will be held prior to the memorial service. Born in Quincy in 1930, he was a seventh-generation native of Gadsden County, Florida. He was a long-time Physics professor and the Dean of the Faculties at Florida State University. He taught at FSU for 44 years and served as a Dean for 18 years. Believing strongly in the importance of higher education, he approached his work at FSU and in the profession with dedication, integrity, and a fierce commitment to academic standards. He always wanted to help faculty achieve their potential to further knowledge. Since he knew all the statutes and codes by heart and often wrote versions of the FSU history, he was known as the unofficial historian of FSU and as a source of institutional knowledge and wisdom. He was devoted to his family, to his church, and to Florida State University and higher education.

He graduated from Gadsden County High School in 1948, and he earned his B.S. in Physics from Florida State University in 1952 and his M.S. in Physics in 1954. He began his teaching career at FSU when he taught as a graduate student. He went on to do his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics at Johns Hopkins University, where he was the General Motors Fellow in Statistical Physics. Earning his Ph.D. in 1960, he returned to FSU to join the faculty in 1960 in the Physics Department, where he served as a professor until his retirement in 2003. He served as Chair of the Physics Department from 1973-1979. He was named the Dean of the Faculties and Deputy Provost in 1985 and served in that position until his retirement. Upon his retirement, he was honored with the Westcott Medal for his service to FSU. He won a teaching award, and he also received a distinguished service award from the FSU Alumni Association. During his time at FSU, he served as president of the faculty senate and was active in numerous honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, and Omicron Delta Kappa, and was active in the Kappa Sigma fraternity alumni association. He was happy to have three generations of his immediate family as FSU professors, including his father-in-law, the late Milton S. Carothers, Sr., an education professor, the first Dean of the Graduate School, and acting president at FSU, and his daughter Leigh, an English professor at FSU.

A theoretical nuclear physicist, he saw Physics as an art form, and he was respected for his contributions to the field. His research focused specifically on theories of low-energy stripping reactions and other direct nuclear reactions. He wrote a Physics textbook, Physics: A Discovery Approach (1971, 1982), and strove to make Physics exciting and accessible for undergraduate students. He designed an entry- level Physics course for undergraduates that he described as "Physics for people who hate Physics and purely do hate those people who make them take Physics," and he would spark students' interest by showing them experiments in class and explaining ideas in an engaging way.

He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Helen Carothers Edwards, and by his parents, Steve Edwards, Sr. and Sarah Ryan Edwards. He was also predeceased by his sister, Ethel Loper, and his brothers, Pat Edwards and Ryan Edwards.

He is survived by daughter Ashley Carothers Edwards (Kim Hinckley) and daughter Leigh Holladay Edwards. He is also survived sister-in-law Nancyanne Browne Carothers, sister-in-law Kay Edwards, and nieces and nephews, including Melanie Joyner (of Quincy), Theresa Loper, Paul Loper, Thed Loper, and Joe Loper (all of Gainesville). Milton Washington Carothers III (of Aiken S.C.), Sarah Jane Carothers (of Sylva N.C.), Allison Carothers, Charles Graham Carothers, Jr. (of Tampa), and Melissa Anne Carothers Moon (of Houston), and great-nieces and great-nephews.

The family is immensely grateful for the loving care given by Jennifer Smith, Tangee Sampson, Chanelle Sampson, and Wanda Mitchell. Memorial contributions may be made to the FSU Physics Department or to Big Bend Hospice. Susie Mozolic of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193)