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Cap'n Jim Edwards' Funeral
by Cap'n Win Walker

Sorry to report that our buddy,  Cap'n Jim Edwards died on March 29, 2006.  Jim was the Assistant Director at Camp from 1960 through 1978, which directly coincided with most of my own Camp experience ('66 through '78).  I guess we retired together.  Since I spent many of my Camp days in Purcell's doghouse, I often had the privilege of being assigned to Cap'n Jim's work details.  Lots of forced labor and sweat equity, but always a pleasure to be around Cap'n Jim.  Taught me how to pound nails and chew tobacco, and lots of other things I can't really mention.  Wouldn't take anything for the time I spent with him.

Jim retired in 1985 to the house he and Odessa built on the North River near Bettie in eastern Carteret County .  A couple of years ago, I was headed to Harkers Island and noticed an old house on the side of the highway, now a store, with a name that sounded familiar,  Lucky Duck's.  I pulled in and sure enough, there were Odessa and daughter Gail running their business, an incredible collection of decoys, artwork, and memorabilia.  They called Jim who drove up from their nearby house, and the two of us sat in rocking chairs on the front porch for a couple of hours, just catching up and talking about the people that are reading this right now.  He hadn't changed a bit.  I moved on, and life moved on, and now I wish I had been back.

I went down for the funeral on Friday, March 31st, and was very glad I did.  Got to see the family, Gail and Odessa, but also Purcell, Helen and Helen B, Bill Rixey and a few others.  Buried Jim with a baseball and an NC State cap!  Jim was buried in Gethsemane Memorial Park on Hwy 24 outside Morehead City, not a mile from Camp Morehead and less than 50 yards from the gravesite of Cap'n Tommy Cordova who died of cancer about five years ago.   Also met Jim's brother, Bob, who's a spittin image.  Just for the record, Purcell and Helen looked great!  They had just moved into their new house, which is right across the street from their old one, roughly on the rifle range.  Purcell took me on a tour of the house, and predictably, while most of the house was still in boxes, he allowed me into his personal sanctuary upstairs where all the decoys and guns were perfectly arranged!

Here's the program from Jim's service.  We'll miss him.

Funeral Bulletin (reproduction)

---Cap'n Win
 

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