William "Bill" Murray Edwards

Bill Edwards, age 91 of Oak Ridge, TN and Dalton, GA, passed away May 16, 2022.

Bill was born in Dalton, GA December 22, 1930. He graduated from Dalton High School in 1947. He was married in 1949 to his wife of 71 years, Betty Lucille Beal Edwards. Betty was born March 30, 1934 in Subligna, GA, and passed away June 17, 2020.

Bill served in the USAF Strategic Air Command during the early 1950s Korean War. He attended the University of Chattanooga, where he was president of the Engineers Club, and graduated in 1958 with a BS degree in Industrial Engineering. While attending college, he hitchhiked to and from Dalton to Chattanooga each day for classes, worked part time, and started his family with Betty.

Shortly after graduation, Bill moved his family to Oak Ridge, TN to work for the United States Atomic Energy Commission, serving as an industrial safety engineer, and later the Dept. of Energy until his retirement.

Bill and Betty Co-owned and Betty operated and managed, Woodland and Elm Grove Beauty Salons in Oak Ridge, TN and Merle Norman Cosmetics Studio in Clinton, TN. Bill and Betty were members of the First Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, where Betty enjoyed singing in the choir. In retirement Bill pursued his interest in leather crafting, and Betty was a longtime volunteer at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, Murray Luffman Edwards and Eddie Clark Edwards; wife, Betty Lucille Edwards; son, John Michael “Mike” Edwards (January 2022). Bill is survived by his son, William Murray “Bill” Edwards, Jr. (Susan Kimbro) of Nashville, TN; daughter-in-law, Kathy May Edwards of Ponte Vedra, FL and Oak Ridge, TN; granddaughter, Katherine Lucille “Katie Edwards” Walls (Jonathan Walls) of Nashville, TN; great grandchildren, John Henry Walls, Marilyn Lucille Walls, Katherine Grace Walls, and William Michael Walls.

Bill was laid to rest on May 18, 2022 at West Hill Cemetery in Dalton, GA.