EDWARD FREESE EDZARDS 86, of Paris, died at 1:13 AM Thursday, November 8, 2007 at Paris Regional Medical Center. Funeral services are set for 11:00 AM, Saturday, November 10, 2007 in the chapel of Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Ken Cannon and Dr. Randall Perry officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7:00-8:00 PM Friday evening at the funeral home. Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements. Mr. Edzards was born December 4, 1920 to Herman Uden and Vergie Thompson Edzards. He was a graduate of Paris High School, Paris Junior College, and East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, TX. Mr. Edzards also attended Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He married Donna Jeanne Brooks July 29, 1951 at First Baptist Church, Paris. Edward worked as a clerk for the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, MD. He served his country as a radar specialist in the US Army Air Corp in World War II. He served on the Marianas Islands of Tinian in the South Pacific. Edward returned to Paris after the war and taught veterans agriculture at PJC. He accepted a position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Pawnee, OK and then transferred to Clinton, OK. He later became the Superintendent of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Indian Reservation in Concho, OK. Mr. Edzards was promoted to BIA superintendent in Pierre, SD for the Crow Creek Lower Brule Indian Reservation. He later transferred to Muskogee, OK as a land officer for the BIA. Upon retirement he moved back to Paris. Mr. Edzards is survived by his wife of 56 years; two daughters, Linda Edzards Marshall and husband, Rob of Broken Arrow, OK and Susan Edzards Updike and husband, Jay of Muskogee, OK; two sons, Darrel Joe Edzards and wife, Marci of Stillwater, OK and Edward Glen Edzards of Paris; two grandchildren, Jennifer Lynn Updike of Frisco, TX and Martin Brooks Updike of Washington DC. Mr. Edzards became a Christian believer at age 14 and served his LORD through all relationships as husband, father, friend, and a boys Sunday School teacher. He was his class president, chairman of the deacons, and worked in the bus ministry and mentor to children in the various churches he was a member. He was greatly respected by all who knew him and will be greatly missed. “He walked humbly with his LORD”. Pallbearers will be Martin Brooks Updike, Jay Updike, Rob Marshall, David Edzards, Mike Edzards, and Matt Edzards. Honorary pallbearers are members of Bill Brooks Sunday School Class; Bill Boothe, Paul Culbertson, Randall Ground, and Norman Davis.