Obituaries / LJWorld.com

Obituaries

Memorial services for Melvin G. “Mel” Edmonds Jr., 68, Ottawa, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa. Inurnment will be in Highland Cemetery in Ottawa.
Mr. Edmonds died Friday, Sept. 3, 2010.
He was born April 28, 1942, in Lawrence, the son of Melvin Edmonds and Ruth Harper Edmonds. He grew up and went to school in Vinland.
He graduated from Vinland High School as valedictorian with the class of 1960. He had lived in Ottawa since 1999, moving from Lawrence, where he had lived for many years.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1963 as a navigator on an LSD water transfer patrol boat in the South Pacific.
Mr. Edmonds worked in construction from 1963 to 2006. He spent many years as a contractor for residential and commercial construction. He owned and operated M. Edmonds Construction with his stepson Kevin Brewer from the mid 1990s to 2005. He spent many years as a contractor for residential construction.
He attended Westminster Presbyterian Church and was a former member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Lawrence.
He married Sandi Bundy-Brewer on April 21, 1992, in Ottawa. She survives, of the home. He had been previously married to Janet Christian; they divorced.
Other survivors include two daughters, Denise Swain and husband Jeff, Virginia, and Diona Burton and husband Larry, Baldwin City; two sons, Richard Edmonds and fiancée Alicia, Baldwin City, and Ruben Edmonds and fiancée Karen, Lawrence; four stepsons, Jeff Brewer and wife Christina, Randy Brewer and wife Valerie, Kevin Brewer and wife Debbie, and Chris Brewer and wife Cyndi, all of Ottawa; three brothers, Dale, Missouri, and Mark and David, both of Lawrence; two sisters, Betty Jo Hurlebrink and husband Hank, Missouri, and Pat Edmonds; 21 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Sharon Christian, and three brothers, Larry, Steven and Russel.
The family will greet friends from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Dengel and Son Mortuary, Ottawa.
The family suggests memorials to Westminster Youth Fund, sent in care of Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, KS 66067.
Online condolences may be sent at dengelmortuary@sbcglobal.net.