Obituary of James Edwards

James Gray Edwards died Sunday, July 6, 2014, at Johnston Memorial Hospital, Abingdon, Virginia. He was born in Hopewell, Virginia on August 13, 1930. He was the youngest of 10 children born to Millard James and Etta Gray Edwards. He was a 1950 graduate of Hopewell High School, and was a defensive end on the 1949 State Championship Blue Devils Football Team. He was also a third baseman for the Blue Devils Baseball Team. He joined the Navy in the Fall of 1950 and served a four-year enlistment where he enjoyed the time spent on the USS Hornet. He entered King College in the fall of 1954 and graduated with a degree in Psychology in 1957. James Gray entered Columbia Theological Seminary and graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Divinity. He served pastorates in Virginia and North Carolina until his retirement in 2000. He was one of the founding fathers of the Presbyterian Church in America in 1973. James Gray married Agnes Hart Edwards in 1951. They had four children, Pam Campbell, Dan Edwards (Leslie), Patti Fisher (Jim), Sara Kernekin (Karl), and two sons-in-law Rob McIntosh, and Ronny Cochran. In addition, he has 13 grandchildren, Laura Carr (Andrew), Luke Campbell (Julie), Maggie Gilbert (Dwain), Jim Edwards, (Claire), Stuart Edwards (Jacey), Erin Edwards, Jake Edwards, Kolya Edwards, Christina Edwards, Beth McIntosh, Gray Cochran, Rachel Frey (Josh), Amanda Gordon, as well as ten great-grandchildren, Katey, Drew, Kenna, Paige, Keaton, Clare, Meka, Whitten, Kayl, and Huntley, one sister-in-law, Charlotte Edwards and many beloved nephews and nieces. He is preceded in death by his parents, his nine siblings, and his son-in-law, Larry Campbell A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, July 28, 2014 at the Edgemont Presbyterian Church 1013 Edgemont Avenue Bristol, Tenn. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Edgemont Presbyterian Church. Arrangements by Simpson Funeral Home & Crematory.