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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Quitman lost an admired public servant |
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with the passing of Mayor Jerry W. Edwards, Sr., on January 4, 2013, |
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at the age of 59; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Alice on September 6, 1953, to Roy and Mary |
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Lou Edwards, Jerry Edwards earned his bachelor's degree at East |
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Texas State University and went on to pursue postgraduate studies |
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in management; in 1982, he moved from Paris, Texas, to Quitman, |
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where he soon became a prominent community leader; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected as an alderman on the Quitman City |
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Council in 1984, Mr. Edwards was a member of city government for |
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more than 20 years, serving several terms as alderman and two years |
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as mayor pro tempore and holding the office of mayor in 1994 and |
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from 2009 until the time of his death; this dedicated official |
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realized a range of important achievements and was particularly |
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effective in increasing public involvement in city governance by |
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creating citizen advisory committees and a communications |
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committee to work with civic groups, churches, and residents; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Edwards was the executive director of the |
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Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center for 13 years, devoting |
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himself to the organization's mission of preventing and |
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investigating child abuse and assisting its victims; in addition, |
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he served as president of the Wood County Child Protection Board and |
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was a member of the executive directors committee of the Children's |
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Advocacy Centers of Texas as well as two child fatality review |
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teams; and |
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WHEREAS, This engaged citizen was the founding president of |
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the Quitman/Lake Fork Kiwanis Club and a member of the Quitman |
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Independent School District Board of Trustees; moreover, he served |
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as president of the Wood County Central Hospital District board of |
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directors for two terms and was active in the congregation at Sand |
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Springs Baptist Church in Mineola; over the years, Mayor Edwards |
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received a number of honors for his contributions, including the |
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Quitman Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award and the Wood |
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County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mayor Edwards enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Laura, and he took great pride in his three |
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children, Jerry, Jim, and Jennifer, and his seven grandchildren; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through his enduring dedication to Quitman and its |
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citizens and his passionate advocacy in behalf of young Texans, |
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Jerry W. Edwards made a lasting and positive difference in the world |
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around him, and he will long be remembered with great admiration and |
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affection; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Jerry W. |
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Edwards, Sr., and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Laura Edwards; to his children, Jerry Edwards, |
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Jim Edwards, and Jennifer Edwards; to his sisters, Darla Hornick |
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and Judy Davis; to his seven grandchildren; and to his other |
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relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jerry |
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Edwards. |