Mr. James Aaron Edwards, age 78, a resident of Santa Fe, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, June 29, 2021, at his home.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 2:00 PM at Heritage Funeral Home with Pastor Ronnie Parrish and Rick Points officiating. Burial will follow in Santa Fe Cemetery with military honors provided by the United States Army. A visitation will be held on Friday, July 2, 2021, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM and again on Saturday from 1:00 – 2:00 PM at the funeral home. Family and friends are welcome to enjoy a meal at Santa Fe Baptist Church after the graveside service. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family arrangements.
Born on October 28, 1942, in Maury County, James was the son of the late Wilburn Breece Edwards and the late Vannie Lee Edwards. He married Barbara Parrish Edwards on September 14, 1962. He was a member of the Colonial Meadows Church for Christ in Columbia where he taught Sunday School. James served in the United States Army National Guard.
His first job in Columbia was in 1954 selling papers for The Birmingham Newspaper, doing this he was able to go to Cap Cosby in Childersburg, Alabama and saved his money for a new bicycle. He worked for General Machine Works for many years where he learned to weld. James worked for Daniel Construction for fifteen years, one of the projects was the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. He worked as a truck driver for Ryder of Spring Hill for years. During his time as a truck driver, his CB handle was “Boiler Marker,” and he retired working for Blackjack Ridge Farms where he was in maintenance.
James enjoyed fishing, riding horses, and working on small repairs, anything that needed fixing, he would fix it. He devoted a lot of his time ministering to others and loved to talk about the words of the Bible.
In addition to his wife Barbara, he is survived by his son, Michael Edwards of Bon Aqua, TN, daughters, Tina McGee (Bobby Potts) of Santa Fe, TN and Michelle Lee Edwards Parks of Columbia, TN, siblings, Lesa (Andy) Brooks, Mary (RC) McKinney, Billy (Cathey) Edwards, sisters in law, Margaret Parrish Woody (JR) Vaughn, Jean (Ed) Chumbley, grandchildren, Martina McGee, Joshua (Lauren) McGee, Paige (John Carter) Green, Taylor Edwards, Kelsey Edwards, Steven Tolleson, Jacob (Pebbles) Tolleson, Nick Edwards, Kali Krawcyk, and six great grandchildren, Chloe, Hayden, Carlin, Finley, Alizia, and Zae.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Peggy Edwards and Agnes Voorhies.
Pallbearers will be grandsons: Josh McGee, Taylor Edwards, Nick Edwards, Steven Tolleson, Jacob Tolleson, Robby Potts Anderson, and Derrick Mote. Honorary pallbearers will include Mark Goats, James McGee Jr., Beavis Winters, Jimmy Parrish, Willis Brown, Jeff Woody, Mark Wynn, and Danny Auville.
The family would like to express an incredibly special thanks to Avalon Hospice, Becky Fitzgerald, and his two special nurses, Martina McGee and Nicole Scott Mote for their care and compassion for James
Memorial donations may be made to Santa Fe Cemetery c/o Mark Priest 3682 Raleigh Beard Road, Santa Fe, TN 38482, or The Mary Parrish Center of Nashville: P.O. Box 60009, Nashville, TN 37206.
