October 16

October 16, 2011 ~

A Day To Remember

Dean Edwards, the oldest son of Hiram and Akka Edwards, was born on June 7,1925. He was given no middle name; his father thought it was unnecessary. Perhaps it was just as well because they had 5 more sons to name. Dean had 2 older sisters.

Dean’s first memory was of getting caught between the locked screen door and the closed door of the house when he was two years old.

As he grew older, he developed a strong sense of family. He remembered and told stories about his father taking him, his sisters and brothers on hikes in hills around Wenatchee, Washington. He had a very understanding, kind-hearted father who, while he had little money, he showered his family with love. When Dean was 12 years old, his father died after a battle with Pancreatic cancer. He went to the hospital to see his father and took to heart his father’s request to look after his mother and younger brothers. He became a strong defender and protector of his brothers as he grew older.

Dean loved to tell stories of growing up with his brothers and sisters. One favorite story the kids never tired of hearing was of an adventure picking huckleberries. He and the older boys reached the huckleberry patch first. Filling their mouths with berries, they hid in the bushes and grunted and growled while rattling the bushes as their mother and the younger kids came along. Of course the others took off running thinking a bear was competing for the berries. Eventually they caught on when the older boys returned laughing and chortling about the trick they had played.

The family moved back to the Yakima Valley, and Dean found a job working for a farmer. However, he wanted to finish his education, so he enrolled at Auburn Adventist Academy. In the middle of the year, he enlisted in the army, in April of 1945. In October, he left for Korea where he served as a medic for one year. He told stories of traveling around the Korean countryside and visiting Adventist churches.

After returning to the states, he enrolled at Upper Columbia Academy for a year before taking his GED and going on to Walla Walla College. Two of Dean’s younger brothers were attending there when he arrived. Ottis was called “Oats”by some students, the younger brother Norman was referred to as “Little Oats”,so, Dean, the older brother became “Wild Oats.”

Also attending UCA were a number of pretty girls. He was soon the center of their attention. One day a group of the girls were arguing about who got to wear his watch. Ila Upton walked up and said, “Just give it to me; he likes me best.” His reply? “Give her the watch!” After completing one year at Walla Walla College, they were married on July 25, 1948.

Between 1949 and 1957, Dean and Ila had 4 children: Judy, Bill, Tom and Barbara.

He loved to tell them stories of his father and other members of his family, as well as animated versions of Bible stories. When they begged for just one more story before bed, he would start the story of Shadrack, Meshack and to-bed-you-go.

During these years, he continued persuing his education. He became a Licensed Practical Nurse in Paradise Valley, California, worked for Upton Nursing Home and finally graduated from Walla Walla College in 1957, with a degree in Theology and a minor in recreation. One summer while living in College Place, he and Ila drove to Sunnyside, Washington every Tuesday to lead out in the Pathfinder club. After graduation, there were not many pastoral jobs available, so he again worked for Upton Nursing Home, which he eventually managed. He continued working with the Pathfinder club, giving Bible studies, assisting the local churches and pastors and helping to establish a little church school for the Sunnyside Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

In 1967, after Dean and Ila helped with a series of evangelistic meetings, the Upper Columbia Conference asked Dean to join the pastoral team of the conference.

He began by going to the Seminary in Berrien Springs, MI. Of course the family went with him. Judy went to academy, and Bill was in the seventh-grade there, Tom was in the third grade, and Barbara went to kindergarten there. Finishing the seminary there, Dean came back to the conference and joined the Bauman and Purdy evangelistic team for a year before going to his first district in Leavenworth and Cashmere, WA. He served a number of years in the Upper Columbia Conference before going to the Washington Conference, and eventually to the Dakota Conference. Eventually he retired after serving in the Oregon Conference.

After retirement he spoke in churches around the Vancouver area. He appreciated the opportunity to travel to India for evangelism. For over thirty years, he was involved with the Orchards Church as an elder. He ministered with Pastors Roger Cain, Del Greible, and John Wesslen, the current pastor. He continued to visit, counsel and encourage. He will be remembered for his kind and gentle spirit, for his smiling encouragement and always for saying, “Before I go, could I have a little prayer with you?”

On Monday, October 10th, Dean was in the hospital after having had a heart attack. He wanted to sit on the edge of the bed and read his Bible. After reading his Bible, he said he was tired and wanted to go to sleep. He did just that and is now resting in Jesus.

Happy For A Reason Reasons:

1.With family and friends, I could celebrate Daddy’s life today!

2.Many people shared how Daddy made a difference in their lives.

3.A wonderful memorial service for Daddy.

4.I could spend precious time with family and friends who loved my Dad!

5.I am so thankful for the promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17!

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord will Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." ~1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, NKJV

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