Jill Edwards | Eastern North Carolina Now

March 29, 1937 — November 1, 2020
    Jill Sutton Edwards died peacefully on November 1st from Natural Causes in Greensboro, North Carolina. She and her husband, O'Brien Edwards, recently moved to Greensboro, but have lived in other areas, including Whiteville N.C., Greenville N.C., Plantation FL, Lenoir N.C., Durham N.C., Tega Cay, S.C., and Pineville, N.C.

    She was born on March 29th, 1937, to the late John David and Ann Rose Newell Sutton of Greenville, North Carolina. Jill was a graduate of Rose High School in Greenville, North Carolina, in 1955 and was a Majorette in the Marching Band. Jill attended East Carolina University and majored in music, touring around North Carolina, with her traveling choir. She was the 1st Director of the Greenville Art Center in 1963 with Art being her true calling, then continued her artistic path by starting the first Arts Festival in Plantation, Florida.

    Jill's landscape oil and watercolor paintings were hobbies she enjoyed immensely throughout her life. Over the years, she also collected an extensive art collection from fellow artists she knew and admired. She was a volunteer at the Caldwell County Arts Council, hanging, and curating art shows for the community. Dedicated to a life of volunteering, she also served in the Service League in Lenoir, NC, and volunteered at Fort Defiance. Substitute teaching was something she enjoyed in Lenoir as well. While living in Durham, Jill was a member of the Treyburn Country Club, Ladies Garden. Club and Ladies Book Club. She loved reading, playing golf, traveling, spending time with her friends and family at their beach cottage at Sunset Beach, NC. since the late 1970's.

    Jill's greatest joy was being a wife, mother, and grandmother, fondly known as "Mama Jill." Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings with the entire family were the highlight of the year. She made her signature Beef Wellington that looked like a masterpiece every year and never complained about the crowd or how much food she had to cook. She was a kind, sweet person, and everyone loved her. She was pre-deceased by her brother, Dr. William Sutton of Wallace, North Carolina, and her sister Anne Gill of Harrisburg, North Carolina.

    She is survived by her longtime sweetheart of 60 years, Edmond O'Brien Edwards of Greensboro, N.C., and her sister-in-law Frankie Edwards of Chocowinity. Jill is survived by her three children, Edmond O'Brien Edwards, Jr of Greensboro, NC, (spouse: Rosemary Thompson Edwards), Roslyn Edwards Foreman of Huddleston, Virginia (Spouse: Ben Foreman), Barbara Lynn Edwards Rozenboom of High Point, NC (Spouse: Doug Rozenboom). Surviving Grandchildren include: Hank and Bill Foreman of Charlotte, NC, Thomas Edwards, Pasadena, California, (Engaged to Chandler Williams) Sarah Adams of Knightdale, NC (Spouse: John Adams) Carter and Hollie Rozenboom of High Point, NC. Jill leaves behind three dear friends, Barbara Pollard, Suzanne Powers of Durham, NC, Ruth Kerns Godley of Charlotte, NC.

    She was a past member of the Emanuel Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina, First Baptist Church in Lenoir, North Carolina, and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina.

    The family wishes to thank Hospice of Charlotte and Hospice of Greensboro for their incredible support. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 W Faris Road, Greenville, South Carolina 29605 are appreciated.

    Funeral arrangements will be conducted by Paul Funeral Home, Washington, NC, and a Memorial will be closed to the family at a future date.

    Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com .