Katie Edwards

Katie C. Edwards was born August 14, 1941, in Rayville, LA to Eli Chisley Sr. and Coretha Chisley.

Katie attended Rayville schools and throughout her life earned various Nursing degrees, a Masters in Gerontology, a PhD in Christian Counseling and a PhD in Christian Education.

She volunteered her time and focused her attention on giving back to her community, by visiting nursing homes, caring for the aged, starting a prison ministry, teaching children to read and write, and mentoring various healthcare professionals. Katie believed the way to make a difference in your own life, community and the world was through active learning.

Katie accepted Jesus Christ at a young age. She spent the rest of her life in service to the Lord, inside and outside of the Church. She maintained her membership and fellowship at Shady Grove AME Church in Rayville, Louisiana.

Katie was lovingly married to Major Roland E. Edwards for 56 years and traveled extensively all over the world by his side. They shared 4 children together. The family attended African Methodist Episcopal Churches (AME).

Katie is preceded in death by: her loving husband (January 2023), her mother, Coretha Chisley, her father, Eli Chisley Sr.

Katie is survived by her 4 children: Donald Edwards, Tonia Edwards, Tonya Edwards and Toya Foster, and 6 grandchildren: Darius Brown, Veronica Brown, Nicholas Edwards, Kyle Edwards, Mason Foster and Chase Holdtke. 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

Katie led her family with true grit and humor, she was a woman of passion. No matter what the issue was, she had a viewpoint that was strongly held, she did not tiptoe through life! She strode proudly through it. There was never a dull moment when she was present. She offered a special kind of love and a firm desire to improve and support the lives of those she came in contact with. She leaves behind a legacy of excellence in the pursuit of education and was immensely proud of her family.

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