Carroll Morgan Edwards

Carroll Morgan Edwards, born April 7, 1937, peacefully passed away on Sunday, August 24, 2008. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Elona Laisure Edwards; his children, Lisa E. Ammons and husband, Rick; Jeff Edwards and wife Teresa and Tina Edwards; four grandchildren, Jeffrey Edwards, Krystle Edwards, Jonathan Nance and Blake Ammons; one great-granddaughter, Kamryn Nance and one sister, Linda Lois Edwards. Carroll Edwards, was owner and CEO of the Marshville, NC based companies, Edwards Wood Products, Inc., Edwards Wood Products, Inc./Transportation and Edwards Timber Company, as well as the Laurinburg, NC based company, Edwards Wood Product, Inc./Scotland and the Liberty, NC based company, Edwards Wood Products, Inc./Alamance. Founded in 1969, Edwards Wood Products originated in an abandoned chicken house with three workers, Carroll and two part-time employees. Today it is one of the largest manufacturers of wood pallets in the Southeast, producing more than 100,000 pallets weekly and employing approximately 400 people. The company is a leading supplier of grade hardwood lumber to the furniture industry and a leading supplier of hardwood and pine chips to the paper industry. Actively involved in community activities, Carroll served on the Board of Directors of Beaver Lane Fire and Rescue Dept., Union County Chamber of Commerce, National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, North Carolina Trucking Association, the North Carolina Forestry Association, Arc of Union County, Bank of America and American Community Bank. He was a member of the NC Board of Transportation and a Trustee of Wingate University. Carroll supported many worthy organizations and has touched the lives of many people through contributions to the ARC of Union County, Beaver Lane Fire and Rescue, the Lois Morgan Edwards Memorial Library, Hospice of Union County, the Literacy Council of Union County, Turning Point, United Way, Healthquest, UDI and the Boy Scouts. Carroll also allocated a portion of his financial resources to investing in medical devices that will improve the standard and quality of care for thousands of patients worldwide. One device in particular improves the patient’s experience during heart transplants by dramatically reducing the number of risky and painful biopsies required and by driving better transplant procedure outcomes. He cared tremendously about his ability to help make these types of devices available. Carroll was a lifelong member of Union Grove Baptist Church in Marshville. He loved his family with all his heart and counted each friend as a blessing. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, August 26, from 5:00 until 8:00 at Gordon Funeral Cremation Service, 1904 Lancaster Ave., Monroe, NC 28112. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 27 at 3:00 PM at The George A. Batte, Jr. Fine Arts Center at Wingate University. Burial will follow at Union Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Marshville. Memorials may be made to ARC of Union County, 1653-C Campus Park Dr., Monroe, NC 28112 or Union Grove Baptist Church, 2434 Old Lawyers Rd., Marshville, NC 28103. Online condolences may be made at www.gordonfuneralservice.com Published online on August 25, 2008 courtesy of Gordon Funeral Service, Inc. .