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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 194
BY REPRESENTATIVES BROADWATER, ABRAMSON, ADAMS, ANDERS, ARMES,
ARNOLD, BADON, BARRAS, BARROW, BERTHELOT, BILLIOT, STUART
BISHOP, WESLEY BISHOP, BROWN, BURFORD, HENRY BURNS, TIM
BURNS, BURRELL, CARMODY, CARTER, CHAMPAGNE, CHANEY,
CONNICK, COX, CROMER, DANAHAY, DIXON, DOVE, FANNIN, FOIL,
FRANKLIN, GAINES, GAROFALO, GEYMANN, GISCLAIR, GREENE,
GUILLORY, GUINN, HARRIS, HARRISON, HAVARD, HAZEL, HENRY,
HENSGENS, HILL, HODGES, HOFFMANN, HOLLIS, HONORE, HOWARD,
HUNTER, HUVAL, IVEY, KATRINA JACKSON, JAMES, JEFFERSON,
JOHNSON, JONES, KLECKLEY, LAMBERT, NANCY L ANDRY, TERRY
LANDRY, LEBAS, LEGER, LEOPOLD, LOPI NTO, LORUSSO, MACK,
MILLER, MONTOUCET, MORENO, JAY MORRIS, JIM MORRIS, NORTON,
ORTEGO, PEARSON, PIERRE, PONTI, POPE, PRICE, PUGH, PYLANT,
REYNOLDS, RICHARD, RI TCHIE, ROBIDEAUX, SCHEXNAYDER,
SCHRODER, SEABAUGH, SHADOIN, SIMON, SMITH, ST. GERMAIN,
STOKES, TALBOT, THIBAUT, THIERRY, THOMPSON, WHITNEY, ALFRED
WILLIAMS, PATRICK WILLIAMS, WILLMOTT, AND WOODRUFF AND
SENATORS ADLEY, ALARIO, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME,
BROWN, BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAI TOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUI LLORY, HEITMEIER,
JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY, MILLS, MORRELL,
MORRISH, MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK, PERRY, PETERSON, RISER,
GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH, TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD,
AND WHITE
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the legislature upon the death of Frank
M. Edwards, Jr., of Amite and to recognize his distinguished career as an attorney,
sheriff, and public servant to his community and to the state of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the members of the
Legislature of Louisiana have learned of the death of the dedicated public servant, Frank M.
Edwards, Jr., on April 17, 2014, at the age of seventy-eight; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards was born on October 12, 1935, to Frank M. Edwards and
Lillian Bel Edwards; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards graduated from Amite High School in 1953 and Louisiana
State University Law School in 1960, after which he embarked on an exceptional fifty-four
year legal career and a sixty-year career in public service; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 194
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WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards enjoyed a fifty-seven year marriage to his wife, Dora Jean
Miller Edwards, during which the couple was blessed with eight children and their spouses:
Alice Edwards Stevens and her husband, Alvin; Frank M. Edwards III and his wife, Kathy
Sue; Clay Edwards and his wife, Dianne; Andrew Edwards and his wife, Belinda; Morgan
Edwards; John Bel Edwards and his wife, Donna; Daniel Edwards and his wife, Blair; and
the late Christopher Edwards and his wife, Brenda; and
WHEREAS, at the time of his departure from this world, Mr. Edwards was the
grandfather of twenty-four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and was expecting a
fourth great-grandchild; and
WHEREAS, a devout Catholic, Mr. Edwards was a life-long parishioner at St.
Helena Catholic Church where he was an active member of the Knights of Columbus
Council 10911; and
WHEREAS, together with his wife Dora, Mr. Edwards led a meaningful and
philanthropic life, serving the less fortunate in his community with selfless and tireless
dedication through his involvement in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul; and
WHEREAS, in February of 2014, Mr. Edwards was honored, along with his family,
as they were recognized by the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame as the 2014
Louisiana Political Family of Officeholders Award recipients for generations of service to
their community; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards and his family were honored for dedicating over two
hundred years and six generations in public service to the state of Louisiana, including the
remarkable accomplishment and honor of serving Tangipahoa Parish as sheriffs for four
generations; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards began his distinguished career in public service in 1968
when he was first elected as Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff, following in the footsteps of his
father and grandfather; and
WHEREAS, Sheriff Edwards served in that capacity until 1980, during which time
he was given the prestigious honor of serving as a delegate at the 1973 Louisiana
Constitutional Convention; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 194
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WHEREAS, in a continued illustration of his tireless drive to serve the state of
Louisiana, Mr. Edwards served as Assistant Commissioner of Administration for Governor
Edwin Edwards from 1983 to 1986; and
WHEREAS, a longtime member, Mr. Edwards enjoyed spending his leisure time in
the most beautiful gun club in America, the Florida Parishes Skeet and Gun Association in
Amite; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, Mr. Edwards was chosen to represent Amite as the Oyster King
which is a great honor that illustrated his illustrious standing in the community; and
WHEREAS, with the death of Frank M. Edwards, Jr., Louisiana has lost one of her
finest sons, a deeply beloved individual who was known for his dedication to public service;
and
WHEREAS, although the death of Mr. Edwards has left a tremendous void in his
community, his memory shall live forever in the hearts and minds of all who knew and loved
him.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express sincere and heartfelt condolences on the death of one of the state's most honorable
and dedicated public servants, Mr. Frank M. Edwards, Jr., and does hereby recognize and
record for posterity his notable accomplishments and singular contributions and extend
enduring appreciation for the pride and honor that he will forever bring to his family and
friends, the city of Amite, and the state of Louisiana, and does hereby express the deep regret
of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the loss of such an extraordinary gentleman.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Mrs. Dora Jean Miller Edwards.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE