Obituary for Jean McKay Edwards
Jean McKay (Tanner) Edwards, 95, died peacefully and surrounded by family on September 13th at Bethany Home in Providence.
She was a daughter of the late Kenneth and Barbara (Littlefield) Tanner; she attended the Wheeler School, Nathan Bishop, and was valedictorian of Hope High School’s class of 1941. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Pembroke College in Brown University. She served in the U.S. Navy, Women’s Reserve, in Washington, D.C. In 1945 she married Knight Edwards, who was then stationed on the U.S.S. Alabama in the Pacific Ocean. They were married for 60 years until he died. When World War II ended, they lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and earned graduate degrees at Harvard.
Mrs. Edwards earned a library degree from URI in 1970 while raising her family and working at the Lincoln School in Providence. She retired from Lincoln in 1989 as head librarian. She was a founder of the Rhode Island Independent Schools Film Co-op.
She served on committees at Central Congregational Church in Providence and was a member of its Permanent Diaconate. She was president of the Rhode Island Conference, United Church of Christ; Chairman of the Board of Camp Street Ministries; and a member of the Executive Council (national board) of the United Church of Christ.
Mrs. Edwards enjoyed singing, sailing, reading, and knitting.
She is survived by her children, Barbara M. Diamond, William S. Edwards and his wife Dorothea Rees, and John P. Edwards and his wife Georgine; a sister, Martha G. Weille; grandchildren Christopher K. Diamond and his wife Anita Dey, Olivia M. Edwards, and Martha K. Edwards; and great-grandchild Annapurna Diamond-Dey.
Her memorial service will be held at Central Congregational, Church 296 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906 on Monday, September 23, at 11am. Contributions in her memory may be made to Central Congregational Church or Brown University Annual Fund, Box 1877, Brown University, Providence RI 02912.
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She was a daughter of the late Kenneth and Barbara (Littlefield) Tanner; she attended the Wheeler School, Nathan Bishop, and was valedictorian of Hope High School’s class of 1941. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Pembroke College in Brown University. She served in the U.S. Navy, Women’s Reserve, in Washington, D.C. In 1945 she married Knight Edwards, who was then stationed on the U.S.S. Alabama in the Pacific Ocean. They were married for 60 years until he died. When World War II ended, they lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and earned graduate degrees at Harvard.
Mrs. Edwards earned a library degree from URI in 1970 while raising her family and working at the Lincoln School in Providence. She retired from Lincoln in 1989 as head librarian. She was a founder of the Rhode Island Independent Schools Film Co-op.
She served on committees at Central Congregational Church in Providence and was a member of its Permanent Diaconate. She was president of the Rhode Island Conference, United Church of Christ; Chairman of the Board of Camp Street Ministries; and a member of the Executive Council (national board) of the United Church of Christ.
Mrs. Edwards enjoyed singing, sailing, reading, and knitting.
She is survived by her children, Barbara M. Diamond, William S. Edwards and his wife Dorothea Rees, and John P. Edwards and his wife Georgine; a sister, Martha G. Weille; grandchildren Christopher K. Diamond and his wife Anita Dey, Olivia M. Edwards, and Martha K. Edwards; and great-grandchild Annapurna Diamond-Dey.
Her memorial service will be held at Central Congregational, Church 296 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906 on Monday, September 23, at 11am. Contributions in her memory may be made to Central Congregational Church or Brown University Annual Fund, Box 1877, Brown University, Providence RI 02912.
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Previous Events
Service
Monday
23
Sep
11:00 AM
Central Congregational Church
296 Angell Street
Providence, RI 02906
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