Quinton Edwards

Longtime resident of Visalia & Exeter & WWII veteran Quinton O. (Ed) Edwards passed away September 3, 2009 after a long fight with pulmonary and heart disease. He was 89 years old. Born in Bear Creek, Alabama in 1919, Ed grew up with his 12 siblings working on the family farm & playing basketball in school. He joined the US Marine Corps soon after turning 18 years old, where he met fellow Marine and his future wife Lois Walther of Visalia. Ed soon shipped out to the pacific where he rose to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked December 7, 1941. Ed participated in many of the huge battles of the pacific theater, including Mid Way, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima. There he was wounded, earning a Purple Heart & honorable discharge from the Marines. After his discharge he returned to Visalia where he married Lois Walther, June 23, 1945. Settling in Visalia with his wife, Ed worked briefly for Chevron & Rainbow Bread, and then started with Knudsen Creamery in 1949, where he worked until the 1970's. Ed enjoyed fixing up vehicles then trading them off for another project, he built several travel trailers & boats, & was an avid gardener. In his 40's Ed took up golf as a new hobby & was soon a scratch golfer. In his 60's he took up painting watercolors, especially barns & country scenes. Many of Ed's friends and family & his residence have original "Ed Edwards" paintings hanging in their homes. After his wife passed away in 1983, Ed was fortunate enough to meet and marry another Lois-Lois Coble of Exeter. They were married 25 years. Ed became an active member of the Exeter Church of Christ. Ed is survived by his living wife of 25 years, Lois Edwards of Exeter, 2 children Carol Fina of Ivanhoe and Robert Edwards of Galt & their children Julie Cardoso of Hanford, Cathy Perez of Ivanhoe, Jennifer Cordova of Sacramento & Paul Edwards of Galt; stepchildren Pat Sandlin of Sacramento, Peg Collins of Exeter, Pam Ballew of Sacramento & Phil Coble of Durham, NC. & Their children Kristy Valentine of Exeter, Pam Campbell of Sacramento, Sheri McColgan of Sacramento, Chris DeRoza of Bozeman, NT. Steve Ballew of Three Rivers, Ryan Ballew of San Diego, Jason Coble of Herndon, VR, Matthew Coble of Herndon, VR and Lindsay Dowling. 17 grandchildren, 5 great great grandchildren. A memorial service celebrating Ed's life and God's love will be held at the Exeter Church of Christ, 710 Lenox Avenue in Exeter at 4pm on Sunday, September 6, 2009. In lieu of flowers donations to Exeter Christian Services, Inc. 710 Lenox Avenue, Exeter 93221. Arrangements by Smith Family Chapel, Exeter. Online condolences: www.smithfamilychapel.com