The Rev. Dr. Eugene Edwards and his wife, Cora Bracey Edwards, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary June 7. Their family plans to honor them with a parade in the parking lot of Lincoln Civic Center Saturday, June 5, at 3 p.m.  A virtual celebration will take place at 5 p.m.

Dr. Edwards is well known in the area as a pastor, professor and active member of the community, and his wife is known for her community involvement, as well. The Rev. Edwards, 70, and Cora Edwards, 72, met while students at Jackson State University. Each holds several degrees. An Indianola native, he has degrees from JSU, Mississippi Baptist Seminary, Harper Baptist Seminary and A.P. Clay Christian Theological College, where he earned his Doctor of Theology degree. A Bogue Chitto native and Eva H. Harris School alum, she has four degrees from JSU, including a degree in licensed psychometry.

Eugene Edwards worked for Packard Electric-GM and retired in 2001 from Delphi Electric Systems in Brookhaven. A member of St. Paul M.B. Church, he has served as male choir secretary, trustee, assistant Sunday school teacher and ordained deacon. He accepted God’s call into preaching ministry in November 1986. He has held many community positions of leadership, including president of the Lincoln County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, vice-moderator of the Brookhaven Educational Home Mission Baptist Association, member of the Lincoln County Democratic Executive Committee and member of the Brookhaven Habitat Committee.

Dr. Edwards has taught at his alma mater, A.P. Clay Bible Theological College’s Magee campus, and has served as pastor of St. Paul M.B. Church in Mt. Olive, Hopewell M.B. Church in Brookhaven, Mt. Pleasant M.B. Church in Sontag, and his current pastorate, New Zion Union M.B. Church in Bogue Chitto.

Cora Edwards was employed as an intern with Hinds County/Jackson State Teacher Corps, Jackson Public School Systems, Brookhaven Public School District — where she retired after 30 years — and administrator/principal of Willowood Developmental Center in Jackson. A member of New Zion Union M.B. Church in Bogue Chitto, she serves as president of the Mothers/Deaconess Ministry, treasurer of the Senior Mission Ministry, matron of the Junior Women Mission Ministry and chairperson of the Education Ministry. She was the first woman secretary of the Brookhaven Educational Home Mission Baptist Association, president of the South Mississippi State Baptist Ministers’ Wives and Widows Auxiliary, and has been a member of numerous organizations, including Eastern Star, the NAACP, Gamma Beta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the National Association of Educators.

Married on June 7, 1971, the Edwardses are parents to four, Sherrolynn (Phillip), Eugene Keith (Teirrah), Tiffany (the Rev. Shon) and Shayla; grandparents of Frank III (Sherri), Eric (Crystal), Chris, Breanna, Tamia, Keirah, Eugene Keith Jr., Alexandria, Shon II, Jorda, Caleb, Austin and McKinley; and great-grandparents to Frank IV, Karter Joel, Eric Jr., Erica, Christian, Rikiyah, Emmanuel, Chris Jr., Bryson, Kolby, Karter, Khloe and Jordan Joel.

To view the virtual 50th anniversary celebration, visit the Facebook pages of Tiffany Blackwell or Shayla Edwards, or visit https://rebrand.ly/The-Edwards50.