Leland D. Edwards, 78, Valley Falls, died Saturday, June 25, 2011, at his home. He was born on Dec. 28, 1932, east of Denison, the son of Lee and Juneva Johnston Edwards. He graduated from Valley Falls High School in 1950. He served in the US Army and was stationed at Ft. Riley.
Leland was a blacksmith at Burlington-Northern Sante Fe in Topeka for 31 years. He had also worked at Whelans Lumber, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and MeadowGold Dairy, all in Topeka, and at HaulMor Manufacturing in Valley Falls. He coached Pony League and Little League Baseball and Girl's Softball teams in the Valley Falls Community. He was a member of the National Rifle Association.
He married Carolyn Ferrell on March 16, 1956, at Denison. She survives. Other survivors include two sons, Dale (Shelley) Edwards, Valley Falls, and Dean Edwards, Cloquet, MN; a daughter, Donya Hartley, Columbia, MO; two sisters, Dixie Bomhoff, Topeka, and Delpha Lynn Jerome, Circleville; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 1, 2011, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. Burial will follow at the Valley Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Stormont-Vail Cancer Center or to the Delaware Township Library and sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 6, Valley Falls, KS 66088.