St. Clair County Obits

RIDER C. EDWARDS

St. Clair County Courier
20 April 1970

Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at Osceola for Rider C. Edwards, a prominent Osceola businessman who died at Sac Osage Hospital Monday. He had been in failing health for more than a year.

Together with his wife, Toby, he had developed a school and church supply business that served a wide area of the midwest. It is known as The Edwards Press.

Mr. Edwards was a former teacher, school superintendent and newspaper owner.

The services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Goodrich Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Sunset Hills Cemetery in Warrrensburg. Rev. Jack Kiefer will officiate and music will be provided by Mrs. Beryl Kiefer and Mr. and Mrs. Ray D. Kiefer.

Pallbearers will be John Martin, Herbert Brooks, Walter Hollowell, Coy Fleetwood, Lewis Motley and Paul Riley.

Mr. Edwards was born in Liberty and attended high school there. He was a student two years at William Jewell College and received his bachelor's degree at Central Missouri State College, Warrensburg. He attended the University of Chicago and the University of Missouri-Columbia where he received his master's degree.

On graduation he became a high school teacher and athletic coach in Deepwater, Missouri. In 1926 he became school superintendent at Urich, Mo, and in 1928 superintendent of schools of Osceola schools, holding the post several years.

In 1933, Mr. Edwards bought the St. Clair County Republican newspaper which later merged with the St. Clair County Democrat to form the St. Clair County Courier.

Mr. Edwards founded the school supply company in 1942 and was active in the business until his death.

He was a member of the Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Toby Edwards of the home and a niece, Mrs. Charles P. Warnick of Fairfield, Washington.