Gary Edwards

GARY EDWARDS

Anamosa

Gary Edwards, 69, died Saturday, March 7, 2015, at the Jones Regional Medical Center following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the First Congregational Church, Anamosa. The Rev. Greg Griffin will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa. Interment will be in the Riverside Cemetery with military honors provided by United States Air Force Honors Team.

Thoughts memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established

Surviving are his two children, Bradley Neal (Lisa) Edwards of Anamosa and Gennie Lynne (Jon) Martens of Cedar Rapids; two granddaughters, Mikayla Marie and Charlotte Lauren; two stepgrandchildren, Kaitlyn and Erik; his mother, Ruth Edwards of Anamosa; two siblings, Linda Horning of Cedar Rapids and Darryl (Dee) Edwards of Allen, Texas; his mother-in-law, Florence Paulsen of Lakota; and a brother-in-law, Richard (Joyce) Paulsen of Lakota.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna Marie in 2011; and father, Earl Edwards Jr. in 2009.

Gary Lee Edwards was born on Oct. 13, 1945, at the Anamosa Hospital. He was the son of Earl and Ruth Hasler Edwards Jr. Gary graduated from the Central City High School in 1963. He continued his education at Iowa State University where he received a bachelor's degree in agronomy. On Aug. 28, 1966, Donna Marie Paulsen and Gary Lee Edwards were united in marriage in Lakota, Iowa.

Gary served 10 years in the United States Air Force. During that time he got his master's degree in business from Central Michigan University. He was a pilot in the Vietnam War flying B52s and F4 Phantoms. In 1979, he and Donna returned home to farm with his father. Gary was passionate about conservation. He has served in many areas of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the National Corn Growers Association. He worked extensively on conservation and water quality issues. He served on the EPA/USDA water quality project and the Iowa Nutrient Management Task Force and represented Iowa farmers at the Hypoxia Task Force and water monitoring conferences. While farming and conservation were greatly important to Gary, his two granddaughters, Mikayla Marie and Charlotte Lauren, were the light of his life.