Harold Hugh Edwards Jr.'s Obituary
Edwards, Harold ‘Hal” was born January 22, 1926 in El Paso, Texas and on February 27, 2014, Hal journeyed home to the Lord after a brief illness. He pioneered many of the frontiers of space, while relishing his families pioneering of the west. Hal was a beloved husband, father, rocket scientist, teacher, and friend. His life contained pranks, adventures, and many stories. A brief recital of his life cannot include every treasured memory. All who knew him, will remember the stories he enjoyed telling. Some may be considered to be true. Hal was born in El Paso because his hometown, a future ghost town, San Marcial, New Mexico did not have a hospital. He frequently alleged he was born at the Sears and Roebuck. Whether the hospital had previously been a Sears store or later became the Sears store cannot be verified. After the town was destroyed by flood in 1929, the Edwards family moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico where Hal attended junior high and attached fireworks to the engine of a favorite, probably English, teacher. Hal spent time with his grandfather Leon Kerr Edwards, grandmother Lillian Edwards. Many happy memories were treasured of the Las Cruces years. In 1940, his family moved to El Paso where he graduated from Austin High School. His family would remain there for many years, and many family vacations were taken to visit the El Paso Edwards’. Included in a visit was a trip to the basement where his early airplane construction started. His love of airplanes and all manner of flight continued for the rest of his life. Upon graduation from high school, he began his college career at Texas A&M. He is the first of three generations to graduate from Texas A&M. He graduated in 1948, after spending 2 years in the Army Air Forces (forerunner of the US Air Force) with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering. One of his favorite stories was discussing at A&M when man would reach the moon. Hal began a 40 plus year in the defense industry working for Chance Vought Aircraft Company. His career progressed from designing fighter cockpits to space weaponry. While at A&M, his road trips to Dallas led to meeting LaRuth Cooper Buie, the future mother of his three children. They were married in 1948, and moved to Connecticut to move Chance Vought to the Dallas area. Family vacations to El Paso and southern New Mexico are still treasured memories. Trips down to the Buie Farms led Hal to develop an interest in farming. Unfortunately, Ruth would lose a long battle with cancer. Hal was introduced to Donna O’Steen and his second marriage began in 1967 with a month long trip to Japan. They would remain inseparable for forty-one years. Hal and Donna enjoyed travel, fine dining, and their dogs. After Donna passed away, Hal spent time with his children and reading English and French murder mysteries. Hal is preceded in death by his parents, Harold H. Edwards Sr. a 1st Lt in World War I and Alma McKnight, a noted mule racer in southern New Mexico. He is also preceded in death by LaRuth Cooper Buie in August of 1965 the mother of his three children, Richard, Margaret, and Marianne; wife, Dr. Donna O’Steen Edwards in March of 2008 and one grandson, Jeremy Samuel. Hal was survived by son, Richard Edwards and wife Kathy; daughters, Margaret Samuel and husband, Bob, and Marianne Montoya and husband, Jim; five grandchildren, Andrew Edwards of Los Angeles, California; Rebecca and husband, Dr. Justin Yates of Bryan, Texas; Kevin Samuel and wife, Laura of San Antonio, Texas; Joe Montoya and wife, Aimee of Dallas, Texas; Karie Jean Montoya of Reno, Nevada and great-grandson, Oliver Yates of Bryan, Texas. Service will be held on 4 March, 2014 at 12:30 PM at Wildwood Chapel at Restland in Richardson, Texas. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.
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