Edna Cresswell

EDNA CRESSWELL
EDNA LUCY CRESSWELL OF POTOSI, MISSOURI WAS BORN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1901 IN OKLAHOMA. SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE LATE JOHN AND LAURA (KINDRICK) AYRES. EDNA ENTERED THE GATES OF HEAVEN TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2003 AT THE AGE OF ONE HUNDRED AND ONE YEARS, SEVEN MONTHS AND TEN DAYS.
EDNA WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE TO THE LATE FRED CARR RICHARDS IN 1919 AND THEY WERE BLESSED TO HAVE FOUR CHILDREN BORN TO THIS UNION. FRED DIED JULY 17, 1941. EDNA THEN MARRIED WILLIAM J. CRESSWELL IN MID SUMMER OF 1942, HE PRECEDED EDNA IN DEATH IN 1964.
EDNA IS SURVIVED BY ONE DAUGHTER IRENE DECLUE OF POTOSI, MISSOURI; HER GRANDDAUGHTER, WHOM SHE RAISED, DOROTHY LORE AND HUSBAND WAYNE OF POTOSI, MISSOURI AND NINETEEN ADDITIONAL GRANDCHILDREN; MANY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN; MANY DEAR AND SPECIAL FRIENDS AT THE GEORGIAN GARDEN NURSING HOME AND BY MANY OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. IN ADDITION TO HER PARENTS AND HUSBANDS, EDNA WAS ALSO PRECEDED IN DEATH BY ONE DAUGHTER EVELYN WEISS; TWO SONS FRED RICHARDS AND MALCOLM RICHARDS; ONE BROTHER BRUZ AYRES; ONE GRANDCHILD, TOMMY RICHARDS; TWO GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, MATTHEW LORE AND JONETTE RICHARDS.
EDNA BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH HARD WORK EARLY IN LIFE GROWING UP ON FARMS IN OKLAHOMA AND KANSAS. HER MOTHER SUFFERED A STOKE AND AT A YOUNG AGE EDNA BECAME THE WOMAN OF THE HOUSE CARING FOR HER BED RIDDEN MOTHER AND THE NORMAL HOUSEHOLD DUTIES. EDNA AND HER FAMILY WENT THROUGH THE DEPRESSION YEARS. A DIFFICULT TIME AS IT WAS FOR EVERYONE. SHE WORKED AND TOOK IN WASHING AND IRONING TO HELP SUPPORT HER FAMILY. AT TIMES SHE TORE APART HER OLD CLOTHING AND MADE HER CHILDREN CLOTHES. ON ONE OCCASION SHE MADE THE GIRLS COATS, WHEN THEY WENT TO SCHOOL THE TEACHERS RAVED OVER THE BEAUTIFUL COATS WHICH HAD BEEN MADE FROM HER OWN COAT. EDNA WORKED FOR DR. GEORGE CRESSWELL, HER BROTHER-IN-LAW FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. UPON HIS RETIREMENT SHE THEN WORKED A SHORT TIME FOR DR. KIRBY TURNER.
EDNA WAS A MEMBER OF THE POTOSI UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, SERVED AS A PINK LADY AT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, SERVED FOR YEARS AS COMMITTEE WOMAN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND WORKED DILIGENTLY IN THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAYERS SENIOR CENTER.
EDNA WAS THE MOST AMAZING WOMAN ONE COULD EVER MEET. SHE HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES SHE HAS TOUCHED.
VISITATION WAS HELD THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2003 FROM 5:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M. AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2003 FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M. AT THE MOORE FUNERAL HOME, POTOSI, MISSOURI.
FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2003 AT 1:00 P.M. AT THE MOORE MEMORIAL CHAPEL WITH ELDER LEONARD COMPTON OFFICIATING. MUSICAL SELECTIONS WERE PROVIDED BY TIM AND ANDREW LORE. SERVING AS PALLBEARERS WERE ANDREW LORE, TIM LORE, MIKE BARRETT, JEREMY HOGAN, JEFF WEISS AND JEFF HIGGINBOTHAM. BURIAL WAS IN THE NEW MASONIC CEMETERY, POTOSI, MISSOURI.