On July 19, 2009, Lt Col. Corwin Vane Edwards, 94, and a 47-year resident of Fairfax County, passed away from hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease at Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia.
Born nearly four score and fifteen years ago on December 30,1914 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Gasper Edwards, a prominent city attorney and his wife, the former Grace Elizabeth Carlisle.
A lover of learning, Mr. Edwards earned an AB from the University of Oklahoma in 1937, an LLB from OU/Law in 1939, and an LLD/JD in 1970 at the University of Virginia.
After briefly flirting with a career with the Army Air Corps, he went to North Africa and Europe in 1940 as an artillery officer with Oklahoma’s famed 45th Division, the Thunderbirds. As a forward observer he saw major action in Sicily, in Italy (Anzio and Salerno), and in France and Germany (Munich to Nuremburg). Along the way he garnered numerous medals and citations for heroism and service, including the Silver Star for valor. It was during this time that he also met and married the blue-eyed former Virginia Lloyd Marshall on May 15, 1943 in Arlington, Va. When the fighting ceased in Europe he stayed on as a Judge Advocate on the Nuremberg Trials. After four years in civilian practice, he rejoined the US Army for a career that spanned 27 years of service in places such as Korea, Japan and Panama, as well as tours as an instructor in law at the Army’s JAG School in Charlottesville and in Washington DC. Upon retirement from the military he put in another 16 years as a civilian attorney to the US Government, serving in Washington and overseas.
Along the journey he fathered five beautiful children. Throughout his extraordinary life, aside from his love of family and country, he made time for his church, St John’s United Methodist (of Springfield) where he was an elder, and later in his community, The Fairfax retirement community, where he served on the Council. He reached the rank of 32nd degree in the Freemasons, was a Shriner and served as an officer in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). He also provided free tax preparation assistance each April to those in need, and was a ten-gallon blood donor to the American Red Cross. He will be missed.
He is survived by his loving bride of 66 years Virginia Lloyd, his sons Corwin Jr. of Chevy Chase Maryland, Allen L. of Lakeside, California, Carl M. of Arlington, Virginia, and Robert C. of Alexandria, Virginia, and by his daughter Elizabeth V. Irion of Lancaster Pennsylvania, and by his grandchildren, Kimberley, Jason, Bryan, Emma, and Conor Edwards.
His life, summed up in three words would have to be DUTY, HONOR, and FAMILY (in no particular order).
A private inurnment ceremony was held at the Arlington National Cemetery on September 1. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choosing.