Mr. Raymond Albert Edwards passed away on Tuesday May 26, 2015 at the age of 93 years. He was truly a southern gentleman, devoted to his family and friends. He was born in Pensacola on September 24, 1921 where he lived most of his life. He graduated from Pensacola High School and attended Stetson University before transferring to Auburn to play football. World War II interrupted that plan and he joined the U.S. Army. He married his high school sweetheart, Marion Fell, on February 14, 1942 and was a devoted loving husband for over 73 years. When the war ended Ray returned to Pensacola to run the family business, Edwards Roofing Company. He continued to work and manage the business for 45 years when his son and son-in-law took over. He was a fair and honest businessman who was highly respected in the industry. He earned the title of Certified Professional Roofing Contractor and for many years was a Director in the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association of Florida. Ray was a passionate and talented sportsman. His favorite high school sport was football where he was captain of his team. He was later a member of a Pensacola Alumni Football Team. He loved to hunt and fish. A walk in the woods on a quail hunt with a dog he had trained was a favorite pastime. Ray loved anything he could do around the water…fishing, skin and scuba diving, water skiing, collecting shells and salt-water tropical fish for his aquariums were other favorite hobbies. He became one of the first scuba divers in the Pensacola area and was chosen as a member of the U.S. Skin-diving Team and represented the U.S. in international competition. He took pride in building his own boats, which gave him the opportunity to fish and water ski with family and friends. He was an avid golfer and later in life adopted the hobby of playing pool with his friends to satisfy his competitive drive. 

Ray was a member of the Jesters, Jaycee's and Downtown Rotary Club. He was a knight on the Fiesta of Five Flags court. He served on the Escambia County Sheriff's Rescue Squad and was awarded the Good Neighbor Service Award by the Navy for one of the many rescues he made. 

Ray was a member of First Baptist Church for over 75 years where his father had been a founding member. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, A.S. Edwards and Maude Coker Edwards and his siblings, T.C. Edwards, Gordon Edwards, Lavena Tyra and Dorothy Fields. 

He is survived by his wife, Marion; daughter, Elaine Purdy (Bob); son, Raymond Rick Edwards (Anne); five grandchildren, Lisa Stersic (Chris), Amy Kemp (Chris), Kris Ostrom (Erik), Kim Hepworth (Randy) and Blake Edwards; fifteen great grand children: Ryan, Matthew, Luke and Anna Stersic; Grant, Jack, William, and Sarah Kate Kemp; Katrina, Emma and Charlie Ostrom; and Olivia, Ben, Cole and Allie Hepworth all of Gulf Breeze, FL.

Visitation will be held 1:00pm until the Funeral Service at 2:00pm Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel with Dr. Barry Howard officiating. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery.

Active Pallbearers will be Blake Edwards, Chris Stersic, Chris Kemp, Erik Ostrom, Randy Hepworth, Ryan Stersic, Matthew Stersic and Grant Kemp. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund, First Baptist Church, 500 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32501, the Northwest Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 4900 Bayou Blvd., Suite #212, Pensacola FL 32503, or to the Childrens Home Society, 1300 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32501.

The family wishes to extend sincere gratitude to all the staff at Azalea Trace and the caregivers who have been so devoted and kind during this difficult time. A very special thanks to West Florida Home Health Care for their loving care. We also wish to thank Dr. Donald Blackmon and his staff for their excellent care for many years.