Lonnie T. Edwards

Lonnie T. Edwards was born on August 2, 1939, in Wilmington, Delaware, to the late Cecil Haig Edwards

and Sarah Morris Edwards. He departed this life on May 15, 2025, in Wilmington, Delaware, after a long

illness. We who are left behind acknowledge humbly God's will.

Following in his mother’s footsteps, he graduated from Howard High School in 1957 and enlisted in the

Navy in the same year.

While located at the Newport Naval Base, he received training in the field of Environmental Sanitation.

He was a member of the Newport Naval Islanders Basketball Team and was known for his high jumps

and winning style.

In the 1970’s, Lonnie added to his basketball prowess by excelling in bowling. In 1974 he logged a 300

game, his first sanctioned “perfecto” and went on to chalk up a 718 game in the 550 Trio League at

Westchester, California. He was so committed to honing his game that when he injured his thumb, he

started to switch hands. This prompted a question about the legality of whether he could switch from

right to left at will.

He retired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the 1980s, having worked many years

as an inspector and public health advisor in the area of communicable diseases. He returned to

Wilmington and was an educator with AIDS Delaware, and last worked as a case worker for the People's

Settlement Association in Wilmington.

Lonnie had a warm and inviting personality, an engaging smile and eagerness to learn that made him

immensely popular in life.

As he steps out of the sunshine of life into the shadows of death, he is survived by his wife,

Pauline Mays Edwards; one brother Stefan D. Edwards, his daughters Theresa Edwards, Darcene

Edwards, Michelle Edwards Carter, and Gina Tate Smith; his sons Lonnie, Jr., Kevin, Dwayne, Keith,

Cecil, Lamar, Brian, and Taylor Edwards, Dustin Garrick and Yvan Johnson, grandchildren, great

grandchildren; nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.