Obituary of William Edwards

William "Bill" Edwards, 85, of the Brookfield Section of White Township, Belvidere, NJ, formerly of Hackettstown, passed away on Friday, August 21, 2009 at Easton Hospital, Wilson Borough, PA. Born on February 19, 1924 in Taylor, PA he was one of six children born to William S. and Edith Marsh Edwards. Bill was a 1950 graduate of East Stroudsburg State Teachers College. He earned his Masters of Education degree from Rutgers University in 1959. Bill had earned additional credits for his full certification as superintendent of schools at Lehigh University, Montclair State University and others. After teaching one year in Bucks County, he accepted a position as a classroom teacher in the Scranton Public Schools where he remained for six years. He then accepted a teaching position in Bernardsville, NJ and after a year he was recruited to be the Administrative Principal in Far Hills. From Far Hills he went to the Independence Township School District where he served as Chief School Administrator for twenty-one years. Bill retired in 1984 but went on to serve as Interim Chief School Administrator in Frelinghuysen Township, Belvidere and Hope Township. Bill also served as Superintendent of the Warren County Special Services District. During his active professional days, he served as Chairman of the Warren County Dental Health Commission. During WWII, Bill had served in the Army in the Battery A 508th Artillery Battalion. He commanded gun laying radar in British New Guinea, Leyte, and Luzon Philippine Islands. He took part in one D-Day landing that recaptured our naval base at Subic Bay. At the war's end, his battalion was chosen to work with the British, Dutch and American POWs returning to freedom. Bill's memberships include the American Association of School Administrators, the New Jersey Association of Elementary School Principals having served as President. He was a member of the Belvidere United Methodist Church, a past member of the Trinity Methodist Church in Hackettstown and a past member of the Panther Valley Ecumenical Ministry. He also served as an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Bernardsville. Bill was predeceased by three brothers, Elliot, Bromley and Joseph; two sisters, Ann Carlin and Margaret "Peggy" Steier; his first wife, Janet Lewis Edwards, whom he married on April 8, 1950, and died on September 20, 1985. Surviving are his wife Marcia Parker Edwards; two sons, Judson of Hackettstown and Daniel of Frelinghuysen Twp.; two daughters, Amy Fancher of Marshall's Creek and Lee Marshall of Germantown, MD; two step-sons, Charles Hrebenak and Gregg Hrebenak of Great Meadows; a step-daughter, Carole Cuisimano of Las Vegas, NV; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, contributions are requested to be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905 To send a lasting tribute or condolences to the Edwards family, please sign the Online Guestbook below. Click "Sign Guestbook". Read William Edwards's Obituary and Guestbook on www.macfaddenfuneralhome.com.