Sword Detail

COL Thomas B. Edwards, USA, Ret.

About the donor:

Retired U.S. Army Col. Thomas Bancroft Edwards, 84, went to his eternal heavenly home on Dec. 26, 2024, after a life full of blessings. Tommy (now Tom) was born on Dec. 28, 1939, in his home in Ayden, N.C., and was the third of four sons born to Hal

Lamar Edwards, Sr., and Renno McLawhorn Edwards. He is preceded in death by his parents and three brothers (Hal Jr., Kemp, and William). He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jane Rachel Williams Edwards, four children, (Mark, John, Sharon, and Virginia), and five grandchildren (Angelica, Samuel, Grant, Norman, and Raymond Joseph "Joey").

Tom's many blessings began with the positive role models provided by his parents and immediate family, his public school teachers, church experiences, athletic coaches, and the local Ayden community. His blessings continued with a football scholarship to The Citadel (class of 1962), where he was a proud member of the school's first conference championship football team and the victorious 1960 team that defeated Tennessee Tech in the Tangerine Bowl.

He graduated with honors and a B.S. in education and received a commission in the Regular Army. During his career of over 28 years, he graduated from the Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., and the Army Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Ky. His duties included overseas tours in Hawaii, South Korea, Vietnam, and Germany. His assignments included the VII Corps Deputy Adjutant General in Germany, the Adjutant General of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky., and the commander of the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Ritchie, Md.

Perhaps Tom's greatest blessing was the coincidental meeting and subsequent marriage to Jane. His most unusual and unexpected blessing was a heart transplant on July 30, 2006, after only five days on the transplant list. He particularly enjoyed teaching an adult Sunday school class at Bethel United Methodist Church. His hobbies included singing bass in the church choir and local barbershop chorus, playing golf which he wished he had started earlier than he did at the age of 65, and watching sports. He was inspired as a youth by the lives and achievements of Roy Campanella and Jackie Robinson, who both played for the

Brooklyn Dodgers and were instrumental in the desegregation of Major League Baseball. Tom remained a Dodger fan after they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.

Preferred Sword Disposition: M Company Platoon Leader

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