July 17, 1944 – November 15, 2023
Retta Faye Edwards, 79, Lapel, passed away on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at her home surrounded by her family. She was born on July 17, 1944, to Samuel and Thelma (Brumett) Estes in Union County, Ky.
Fay spent many years working for Riverview Hospital in the housekeeping department and was a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Lapel. She enjoyed making and selling crafts and was the “go to” seamstress for all her family and friends. Fay would go all out for Easter with an egg hunt and dressing up as the Easter Bunny. She volunteered for Operation Christmas Child for many years, and it was her goal to outdo herself from the previous year by recruiting help from family and friends, who could never say no. Fay liked spending time with her church family and loved having sleepovers with her grandchildren. She liked to travel and taking “snapshots of life” pictures.
She is survived by her daughter, Barbara (Tom) Roark; sons, Mark Edwards and Matthew (Shirley) Edwards; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brother, Bill Estes; nephew, Mike Estes; and several self-adopted children and grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald D. Edwards; daughters, Michelle Wiltermood and Tina Brown; granddaughter, Jessica Brown; twin sister, Rita May Estes; and sister, Jewel Lee.
Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at Randall & Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road, Noblesville, with Pastor Jimmy Gilbert officiating. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. to the time of service at the funeral home. Burial will be at Chester Friends Cemetery in Westfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to Operation Christmas Child, c/o Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 (samaritanspurse.org).
Condolences: randallroberts.com