Ms. Edwards taught school in the Baker County public school system for more than 50 years, starting in a one-room school house around the start of the Great Depression.
Albany attorney Gregory L. Fullerton, who is executor of the estate, estimated she taught more than 1,000 third and fifth graders covering three generations during the five decades.
According to her directions, Fullerton has just distributed almost a half million dollars to a number of charities. Her church, Travelers Rest Baptist Church outside of Newton, got just more than $155,000. Church spokesperson Larry Ethridge said the Edwards bequest has been used to pay off most of the indebtedness incurred in building a new church sanctuary.
Edwards also left $11,000 to help the church maintain an adjacent cemetery, where many of her relatives are buried.
Also receiving $155,000 plus were the southwest Georgia units of the American Cancer Society and the Salvation Army. She provided a smaller charitable gift to the American Lung Association
Although true blue to her hometown of Newton, Edwards had lived at Mitchell County Convalescent Center in Camilla during the final years of her life.
Ms. Edwards had no immediate family, Fullerton said, but was befriended by Mary Roach. He said Roach often did Edward’s hair while she was a patient in the convalescent center. She always refused payment despite Ms. Edwards’ efforts,Fullerton said.
That was just one of many kindnesses done by Roach. Fullerton said. She help care for Edwards in many ways, he said.
Although the many good deeds were done freely without any expectations, Fullerton said Edwards left a sizeable portion of her estate to Roach. He said Edwards remembered several other Baker County residents with smaller stipends of $1,000 to $10,000.
Edwards, who never married, inherited a couple of tracts of real estate from her parents, which accounted for about 50 percent of her estate. The remaining was accumulated through savings and investments.
• IHOP OPENING: International House of Pancakes will open to the public Tuesday at its new Lee County location on Cartmell Drive behind Fairway Toyota.
Ribbon cutting ceremonies are planned at 10 a.m. Monday, but store officials say the 4,700-square-foot restaurant will not open until Tuesday. The new IHOP has a seating capacity of 168 and will employ about 120 workers. At least 50 percent of those will be parttime staffers. Terry Kuhn is managing partner of the new business.
• OPENING SOON: Officials with Country Inn & Suites say they expect to open their new 70-room hotel in Albany in late May.
The Albany hotel, which will employ about 20 people, is located off Nottingham Road in the same complex as Wynnsong Theaters and Kohl’s. The company also opened a 107-room hotel along Interstate 75 in Cordele this week.
Danny Carter can be reached at (229) 888-9346 or emailed at danny.carter@.at.albanyherald.com.