BERNIE -- The Rev. Arvil Edward Edmonds, 76, died April 21, 2006.
Born Sept. 19, 1929, at Phil Campbell, Ala., son of the late Virgil Woodrow and Lydia Pinkard Edmonds, he was ordained a General Baptist Minister in March 1969 and began his pastorate at the Vinson General Baptist Church. He served in East Alton, Ill., Wichita, Kan., Tyler, Texas, Bell City, Beach Grove, Gray Ridge, and Circle City. He was also in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea.
In February of 1949, he married Mildred Deloris McDonald who preceded him in death on Dec. 19, 1992. On Dec. 26, 1998, he married Christa Mae Parks Orr who survives of the home.
Other survivors include: four daughters and one son-in-law, Darlene Victoria Hill and Shirli Rosetta Williams of Bernie, Cathy Lynn Shipman of Dexter and Susan Rebecca and Dwight Clary of Bloomfield; one son and daughter-in-law, Edward Allen and Rebecca Edmonds of Bernie; one stepson, Michael Orr of Kansas City; two brothers, David Truman Edmonds of Bernie and William Eugene Edmonds of Parma; one sister, Betty Stanfield of Bernie; and 12 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two step-great grandchildren.
One stepson, Steve Orr; one brother, Virgil Woodrow Edmonds Jr.; and one sister, Geneva Rodgers, preceded him in death.
Services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. today at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie. The Revs. Steve Fitzpatrick and Bob Bradford will officiate.
Burial will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.