Remembrance of the Life of David Livingston Edwards, former CoL
Posted on March 4, 2019, by Loretto Community
(Following the example of his wife Kaye, David Edwards enthusiastically embraced Loretto Co-membership and faithfully lived as a Co-member from 1998 to 2018. Because of continuing health concerns which sapped his energies and reduced his ability to participate, David resigned from co-membership. In the following month he learned that he had cancer. The Loretto Motherhouse Community continued to hold David closely until his death, and with his family and friends will celebrate David’s life at a service in May.)
David Livingston Edwards was born in Roanoke, Va., on Dec. 29, 1947, to Rubye and Barnard Edwards, both now deceased. He is survived by his wife, Kaye, two children, Shelley Edwards (Tim Ketter), and Kent Edwards, two grandchildren, Arabella Ketter and Christopher Custers; sisters, Carol Edwards and Sylvia Mill along with Sylvia’s husband, children and grandchildren.
David graduated from Lynchburg College, Va., and from Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, Ky. He served churches in Kentucky, Virginia and Indiana. He and Kaye would have celebrated 50 years of marriage in December.
A kinder, more peace-loving man would be hard to find. He adored his family. He loved fishing and singing (especially with children), hiking the trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains, taking walks in the woods and swimming in the ocean. He cherished quiet time alone, reading and studying scripture, exploring the sacred writings of other religions, writing and composing music and sitting to reflect and think. In the evenings he enjoyed drinking a Manhattan and listening to classical music.
Because of his deep commitment to the teaching of Jesus, he became a pacifist and a conscientious objector to all violence and war. During the time of the Vietnam War he did two years of required alternative service to the draft by working as an orderly on the cardiac/surgical unit of Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston. Though David contributed in many ways to what is good in this world, he considered his work as a conscientious objector to be the most important contribution of his life.
The cancer that took his life on March 4, 2019, did not take his loving, gentle spirit. He lives in our hearts. He lives through his commitment to peace and justice for all. He lives through his music and his writing.
Two services of celebration for the life of David L. Edwards will take place: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Church of the Seven Dolors at the Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, Ky., and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27, 2019, at the University of Lynchburg Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Loretto Headstart Program of Central Kentucky Community Action Council, 332 Hood Ave., Lebanon, KY 40033.
– Obituary courtesy of Kaye Edwards/Mattingly Funeral Home