Mary Catherine Boyce Edge
Visitation services for Mary Catherine Boyce Edge, age 93 were held from 5 - 7 P.M., Friday, November 27, 202,0 at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston, LA.
Mary was born and reared as an only child in the small Louisiana town of West Monroe, LA. She was fortunate to have six living grandmothers during her early childhood, most of whom loved to spoil her.
Mary graduated from high school in 1944 and entered college at the age of seventeen. During World War II, she married a brand-new 2nd Lieutenant Army Air Corps flying officer, Robert L. Edge, four weeks after they met.
During the war they moved their home about every three months. They lived in rented rooms, motel rooms, and a 24-foot trailer. She hitch-hiked with her husband when the bus service was inadequate. (There were no cars to buy within the couple’s financial means.) While her husband was on Kwajalein in the Pacific for four months, she went “home to Mama” and worked as a sales lady in a photography studio. Mary also taught herself how to cook and
sew.
While her husband was in Japan during the occupation, she went “home to Mama” again. She joined her husband on Guam in 1948 and spent one year with him there before returning to the United States.
Mary became a mother for the first time in October of 1949. They had a beautiful baby girl they named Rebecca Lynn. A son followed in 1951, Jeffery Glenn and another beautiful baby girl in 1953, Claudia Mary. While her husband was away on long (3 to 4 months) temporary assignments away from home, she ran the family and home. Mary became an active volunteer in Girl Scouts as her daughters reached Brownie age. She also became active Toastmistress.
Mary learned to play contract bridge at an early age and continued to play social bridge throughout many years. After retirement, she played actively in sanctioned ACBL tournaments. She became an avid golfer with her husband, Bob, kicking the leaves out of the fairways in late autumn in New England. As her husband attained higher leadership positions in the USAF, she acted as a responsible wife and set an example to the younger ladies of his subordinates.
During the Vietnam War, with other ladies on the base, she met Air Evac airplanes returning wounded soldiers to the United States. She was there to give them hot chocolate and warm embraces as the airplanes stopped at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
After her children had graduated high school and moved out of the nest, she became a tour guide in Washington D.C. Mary enjoyed doing this for 25 years. During the off-seasons, she worked in a jewelry store making pearl necklaces. Mary was known at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as “The Fudge Lady” because she made homemade fudge for the soldiers and enjoyed visiting and getting to know them. She was an “Arlington Lady,” representing the United States Air Force Chief of Staff at military burials and inurnments at Arlington National Cemetery for many years. Through her church, she volunteered to feed the hungry at Carpenters Shelter once each month for several years.
At the age of 75, she and her husband moved into Goodwin House Alexandria. This was their 29th move during their married life. She was an active member, at one time or another, of several committees; she organized and directed for several years the Duplicate Bridge Club which played twice each month.
In January of this year she made her 30th and final move to Ruston, Louisiana. She wanted to spend more time with her family
Mary was at home surrounded by family when she went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, November 24, 2020.
Mary is preceded in death by her husband of almost 71 years: Major General Robert L. Edge; eldest daughter: Rebecca Lynn Edge Roberts of Martinsburg, West Virginia; one granddaughter: Sara June Martin of Ruston, Louisiana and a great grandson: James Wyatt Martin of Ruston, Louisiana.
Mary is survived by son: Jeffrey Glenn Edge of Fredericksburg, Virginia; daughter: Claudia Mary Edge Martin (Scott) of Ruston, Louisiana; grandchildren: Geoffrey Scott Martin (Hannah) of Ruston, Louisiana, Mandi Lynn Martin of Whitehall, Arkansas, Mary Jean Martin Walsh (Ryan) of Slidell, Louisiana, and Claudia Melea Martin Shields (Derek) of Jonesboro, Louisiana; 9 greatgrandchildren: Robert Hamilton Martin, Allyson Hale Martin, Tucker Hamilton Martin, Sara Rose Sherrill, Skylar Martin Walsh, Nathan Patrick Jones, Brady Michael Walsh, Rylan Mary Walsh, and Piper June Martin; 2 great great-grandchildren: Stefan Hamilton Martin and Aurora Melea Martin.
We would like to thank the dedicated staff at Premier Hospice for all their loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations to USO or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital can be made in her honor.
To leave an online memorial message for the family, please visit www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com
