In Loving Memory

Joseph Andrew Edwards

Joseph Andrew Edwards
November 22, 1929
December 5, 2014
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Obituary

Joseph A. Edwards, loving husband, father and friend, passed away Friday, December 5, 2014 at the age of 85.

An avid music lover and clarinet player, Joe, upon being drafted into the United States Army, helped to form the first Military Police Marching Band in the United States in 1951. Despite his many awards, he always felt this was one of his highest honors. He also went on to form an army concert band, dance band and combo band. He was the Band Master for the aforementioned, all while blowing a mean clarinet himself.

In addition to raising a family, he also was very active in the church and bringing music to the community, helping form and becoming Keen Teen Youth Director in 1960 at the Bellaire Gym. As a DJ and with DJ’s from local KNUZ, it served as the perfect venue for teens to gather for great music and dancing.

In the church, his involvement grew from serving first locally as President of the church men’s group to ultimately becoming the President of all of the United Presbyterian Men in the United States.

In the private sector, Joe quickly became an expert in building codes and construction. Prior and after becoming the longtime Building Official for the City of Bellaire, he received various awards/titles from 1965 to 2005, including winning the Progressive Architecture Design Award for Residential Planning, Director: Greater Houston Builders Association, Chairman: ICBO Evaluation Committee, Building Official of the Year, President: Building Officials Association of Texas, President: Gulf Coast Association of Texas Building Officials and President: Foundation Performance Committee.

He also served as President of the Board of the South Padre Timeshare for many years.

Just to fill up any spare time Joe had left, and although he attended the University of Texas, he transcended university lines and taught Building Codes and Construction for 15 years for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

Joe ‘retired’ from Bellaire in 1995 only to take on another challenge head on and form his own consulting company specializing in building codes, construction and inspections for various cities in the Houston area- ‘officially’ retiring in 2012.

Joe spent his twilight hours enjoying his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and of course, taking cruises around the world with the love of his life Danna right by his side.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Gladys Edwards; stepmother, Ora Lee Edwards; daughter, Julie Hoover.

He is survived by his wife Danna Edwards and first wife Beth Edwards; daughters, Marla and Mark Deibert, Tanya Edwards; stepsons, Buzzy and Michelle Campbell, Chuck and Debbie Campbell; grandchildren, Robert and Mary Hoover, Justin and Alyssa Deibert, Lance Deibert and Laura, Lauren Deibert, Kristen and Mark Herzik, Kimberly Murray and fiancé Chase, Kayla Murray and Rob, Blaine Campbell, Joshua and Christie Campbell, Will Campbell, Kyle Campbell, Kate Campbell; 3 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Brenham, TX and on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home in Bellaire, TX.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the First United Methodist Church, 408 N. Baylor St. Brenham, TX 77833 or to the charity of your choice.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX 77833. 979-836-3611 Tributes may be shared at www.BrenhamMemorialChapel.com.