Nathan Edwards

Due to COVID, a private family entombment Nathan Edwards, 92, of Huntington, Texas was held Monday, February 7, 2022. Please join us for a Celebration of Life  Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at Crown Colony Country Club, 900 Crown Colony Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75901.

Mr. Edwards was born July 4, 1929 in Nacogdoches, Texas to the late Edna (Meador) and Frank Edwards, and went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, February 3, 2022 in the comfort of his home surrounded by his loving family.

Nathan was a “small-town” boy who grew up in the Piney Woods of East Texas - where he went on to make his home for over 85 years.

While Diboll was the backdrop of his youth, he moved to “big city life” in Houston with a few of his good friends. As he looked for work, he part-timed at his brother-in-law’s Shell station in the Houston Heights - back in the day when we still had “full-service” stations. This is where he first met a young, pretty, “city girl” named Frankie when he actually swept the carpet under her feet. She quickly noticed him as the handsome attendant wearing a red-billed cap that she still remembers to this day. This is where the story of their sweet life together began.

Shortly after meeting Frankie, Nathan left for Fort Benning, Georgia, where he served his country as a paratrooper leading to one of his early passions. He was an airman for the Civil Air Patrol and earned his private pilot license.

They married, he joined Shell Chemical in Texas City and started a family. Soon they moved back to Diboll where he partnered with friends at Dixie Furniture. Nathan and Frankie bought a farm in Huntington, Texas where they raised their family and spent the next 67 years.

Outnumbered in a household of girls, Nathan was cherished by Frankie and adored by his daughters. Nothing gave him more joy than spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren - which he boasted often. Many fun memories and life lessons were had sitting around Pa Pa’s massive bonfires.

Nathan loved to play and win…a true salesman at heart. He was recruited by a State Farm Insurance manager, who just happened to overhear Nathan holding court at the Pine Bough. This led to a successful 30 year career as a State Farm agent.

Sports were always a big part of Nathan’s leisure time. He was a “natural” and excelled at many sports. Accomplishments include…bowling a 266, shooting 488/500 skeet in tournament play at Pineywoods Gun Club - now Piney Sporting Clays; however, never looked back after taking up golf. He was a charter member at Crown Colony Country Club…his home away from home until just a few years ago. His 11 “holes in one” are a testament to the amount of time he devoted to the game. If he wasn’t on the course, he was always up for a game of gin….or two or three.

But the thing that most will remember about this fun-loving guy was his ability to tell stories. It was not just the story he told, but the delivery and the consistency found in these extraordinary stories that made them so remarkable. Where Nathan went, fun followed.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Frankie (Horne) Edwards of Huntington; daughters and sons-in-law, Karen Edwards Funk and Bob of Brenham, Melanie Edwards Roach and Jonathan of The Woodlands; grandchildren and their spouses, Alexis Whatley, Laura and Ross Gray, Jonathan and Claire Funk, Payton Funk, Millicent Roach, Grayson Roach; great-grandchildren, Daisy Gray, Roman Gray, Abel Gray, Finley Mahan, Nathan Funk; former son-in-law, Gary Whatley; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Connie Whatley; brother, Johnny Edwards; sisters, Lois Sturrock, and Marian Trevathan Hudson.

The family would like to thank Jim Pluss, Tom Darmsteader “Darmie” Bill Philmon and Charles Placker. Their constant follow-up calls and visits were of immeasurable value during Nathan’s final year.

Nathan was blessed with a loving wife that cared for him dearly over the years. The family would like to thank the many wonderful caregivers from Choice Hospice that supplied his most recent needs. Lea, Cherish and Keisha were a constant presence and their loving care and support will forever be remembered and appreciated.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the following charities that he passionately supported: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 Saint Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, and Rocky Hill Baptist Church, 4040 Harley Golden Road, Huntington, Texas 75949.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.