Willie Branton Edwards

Willie Branton Edwards, age 81, of Erwin, passed away July 20, 2020. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 Friday morning July 24, 2020, at West & Dunn Funeral Home Chapel of Erwin, NC. Mr. Edwards will lie in state at the funeral home on Thursday, July 23 from 12 to 5 pm; the family will not be present. Due to COVID-19 mandates, the funeral on Friday will be limited to 40 with social distancing being observed. Burial will follow at Erwin Memorial Park with firefighter honors.

Willie is preceded in death by parents Jesse and Thelma Edwards; sisters Margie Smith, Carolyn Pate and Alynn McLamb; and brothers Sharon Edwards and Corbett “C. H.” Edwards. Surviving family members include sons Walt Edwards and wife, Rhonda, and Anthony Ross; wife, Lovie Edwards; grandchildren Jessica McCaskill and husband, Matt; Andrew Edwards and wife, Morgan; and Brian Ross; great-grandchild Zoe McCaskill; sisters Elgie Johnson and Faye Autry; step-son Steve Brown; and step-grandchildren Matt Brown; Scott Brown and wife, Liz; Misty Crawford and husband, John.

Willie was most recently self-employed as a small engine repairman and operated a flag car service for several years. He served the community as a volunteer firefighter in Erwin with over 25 years of service at his time of retirement, in addition to his work as a police officer in Lillington and Erwin during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and worked at Erwin Mills after his time as a law enforcement officer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Louis G. Joseph Memorial Scholarship Fund with the NC Community Foundation at 3737 Glenwood Ave., Suite 460, Raleigh NC 27612.

Condolences may be made at www.westanddunn.com

Services have been entrusted to West & Dunn Funeral Home of Erwin, North Carolina