Patricia Carter Edwards 61C

Patricia “Pat” Carter Edwards 61C is one half of a dynamic Emory duo, the other half being her husband, J. Joseph ”Joe’ Edwards 54Ox 56B 58B.  Their years of service, generosity and devotion to Emory were recognized in 2014 when they were awarded the Judson C. Ward "Jake's" Golden Heart Award by the Emory Alumni Association. The Edwards accepted this award at the May 1, 2014, Corpus Cordis Aureum induction ceremony. For more than forty years, Joe and Pat Edwards have been engaged in strategic planning, fundraising efforts, and alumni events to advance Oxford College.

During the years of Joe Edwards’ leadership roles, Pat Edwards kept her fingers on the pulse of the Oxford community by participating in numerous Board of Counselor spouses luncheons, Oxford scholars banquets, class reunion events, alumni events at Oxford, in Highlands and St. Simons, Founders Day dinners, donor receptions and special celebratory events for Oxford College.

Pat and Joe Edwards have also shared a strong connection to Oxford and Emory as parents though their three sons. Chris Edwards 87Ox attended Oxford for a brief time.  James J. Edwards Jr. 87B and his wife, Laura Starr Edwards 88C are Emory graduates.  Their late son, Brad Edwards 92Ox, died in an automobile accident during the fall of his freshman year at Oxford. To honor his memory, the Edwardses created the Bradley Patrick Edwards Leadership Award, an endowment that provides scholarship awards for two Oxford students each year. Mrs. Edwards established the selection committee for the Brad Edwards Scholarship, serves on the committee and gets to know the scholars during and beyond their time at Oxford. They also donated funds to name the Brad Edwards 92Ox Learning Commons in the Oxford College Library.

Pat Edwards is former teacher who has remained active in Barnesville and Lamar County civic organizations.  Her board and membership affiliations have included the Barnesville-Lamar Community Foundation, the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, the Barnesville-Lamar County Library, Lamar County Historical Society, the Azalea Garden Club and Lamar Arts.  On a statewide level, she has served as chair of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board and as board member of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, The Georgia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Georgia National Register and the Georgia Cities Foundation.  She was appointed to the Education Review Commission by Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris and has been honored by the Georgia Commission of Women for contributions to historic preservation in Georgia. Pat also served as chair of the GA Trust and the GA Register Review Boards

Joe Edwards, Vice Chairman of United Bank, and director of United Bank Corporation headquartered in Barnesville, is a community banker, business leader and mentor, and civic leader in Barnesville and Lamar County.  Together, the Edwards received the Barnesville-Lamar Outstanding Citizen Award in 2005.