A memorial service for Dr. Robert A. Edwards, a St. Louis area dentist
for over four decades, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Weber Funeral
Home, 304 N. Main St., Edwardsville. Dr. Edwards died June, 23, 2011 at
Decatur Memorial Hospital after a long illness. He was 80.
Dr. Edwards was raised in St. Louis after his family migrated from
Marianna, Ark. where he was born. He attended St. Louis public schools and graduated from Vashion High School in the late 1940s. He was a graduate of Kentucky State College and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1952 during the Korean War where he
served as a medic. He later attended Meharry Medical School. After earning a degree in dentistry, he established practices in St. Louis, Alton and Gary, Indiana, over a career lasting 46 years. In 1969, he moved with his wife, Joyce, and four daughters to Edwardsville.
Members of his family mourn his death and applaud him for committing
his life to making the world a better place for his family and for
generations to follow. On civic and political fronts, his many endeavors
included organizing efforts to help poor and minority communities claim
their right to quality medical services.
In the 1960s, he was among the leaders of a movement to create a
community health center in East St. Louis and The St. Louis Comprehensive Neighborhood Health Center, which became a model for community health centers nationwide. He fought for legislation to create educational and economic opportunities for minorities, helping them gain enrollment in medical and dental schools and have greater participation in acquiring government contracts. At one point, he served as president of the Mound City Dental Association.
Dr. Edwards also was instrumental in assisting in the development of
plans to build a Black History Museum on the East St. Louis riverfront.
Though his plans never came to fruition, the idea was one of the first of
its kind for the city.
He helped set precedents and model strategies that have allowed
disenfranchised communities to benefit from government resources and
services that they were generally deprived of in 1960’s. Dr. Edwards was
commended by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for his work which forged the way to the passage of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. In addition, his work and influence in Washington led to reforms in legislation covering bank credit policies, which was unheard of before his actions forced changes in the laws.
Family members said Dr. Edwards was a worthy adversary and an
unheralded force fighting for justice and human rights. He accepted no
applause or accolades, but persevered to do what was right.
Unbeknownst to many, Dr. Edwards had other interests which include
acting, singing, and athletics. He had a beautiful tenor voice, and was
known as a fleet-footed track athlete. “Bob,” as he was known to friends,
was also a music lover and producer who co-owned a number of jazz clubs in the St. Louis area and other major cities.
Besides his wife, he is survived by four daughters: Lynnette Mensah
(son-in-law Yaw Mensah) of Downer’s Grove, Ill., Sharon Carpenter
(son-in-law Terry Carpenter) of Houston, Dr. Venita Edwards-Talley
(son-in-law Valdimir Talley Jr.) of Decatuer, Ill. and Angela
Edwards-Campbell (son-in-law William Campbell) Evanston, Ill. ; and seven grandchildren: Dr. Robert Mensah of the U.S. Air Force and Dr. Virginia Mensah, of Baltimore, Md. , Nicole Carpenter Davis of Houston and Terrance “TJ” Carpenter Jr. of Houston, Erin Talley of Decatur and “JT” Valdimir Talley III of Lafayette, Ind. and William Christopher Campbell of Evanston, Ill.
