Dr. Charles “Charlie” Richard Egedy, 91, passed away on November 18, 2016 in Huntsville, AL, after a long and fulfilling life of family, humor, reading, learning, teaching, and educating.
Dr. Egedy was born May 23, 1925 in Paterson, New Jersey to Thelma and Richard Egedy. He graduated from Asbury Park High School, New Jersey, in 1943. He joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1943-1945 and studied Radar Technology. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in 1955 from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA, he continued his studies by earning his Ph.D in 1964 from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, under Dr. Frank Stagg, with an emphasis on Greek and New Testament.
He pastored Baptist churches in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Louisiana and led eight archeological expeditions to Israel. He then joined the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention as a professor at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso, Nigeria and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria from 1981-1993 where he met fellow missionary, Joyce White Blass. They were married in Huntsville in 1985.
Charlie taught several Bible study and archeology classes in the adult learning program at UAHuntsville. He was a voracious reader and a member of Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, where he led a men’s Sunday school class. Charlie once said, “Nothing has influenced me more profoundly than the need to contend with the Christian Faith, all the way from the dawn of my own consciousness.”
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 35 years, Betty Chance of Baton Rouge, LA; his sons, Dr. Charles Egedy, Jr. and Jeffrey Blass; and his sister, Eleanor Glenn and her husband, Bobby.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joyce White Blass Egedy; sister, Jean Gamble (Rev. Kenneth, deceased) of Leonardo, NJ; his daughter, Carol Lee Sheets of Great Falls, Montana; daughter-in-law, Karen Egedy of Baton Rouge; sons and daughters, Charlie Blass (Kim), Wade Blass (Debi), and Anne Blass Rothwell (Mike) all of Huntsville; grandchildren, Lauren Egedy of Cary, NC; Brian Egedy (Sarah) of Savannah, GA; Todd Blass, Cory Blass, Jessica Walters (Jeremiah), Leigh Anne Ayres (Lee), and Alan Rothwell, all of Huntsville; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 22 from 10:00 a.m.to 11:00 a.m. at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, 1306 Cannstatt Drive, Huntsville, with a memorial service immediately following at 11:00 a.m. with Dr. David Freeman and Rev. Handy Avery officiating.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial gifts may be made to the Weatherly Heights Baptist Music program.
