Mr. Van Buren Edwards, 80, affectionately known as "Pa-Paw", of West Jefferson departed this world for a heavenly one on Sunday, March 21, 2010 from the comfort of his home. Mr. Edwards was born on Sept. 27, 1929 to the late Lillie and Lawson Edwards in Ashe County where he spent the duration of his life. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 2:00pm at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lloyd Day, Rev. Martha Kincaid, Rev. Michael lea and Rev. Jim Dawes officiating. Burial will follow in the Bethany Cemetery with military rites. The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00pm on Wednesday, one hour prior to the funeral service. Mr. Edwards fulfilled his patriotic duties by serving his country during the Korean War where he achieved the rank of Private First Class. During the conflict, Mr. Edwards served gallantly on the front lines and fought in some of the conflict's most pivotal battles including the battles of "Heartbreak Ridge" and "Old Baldy." He was once featured on the front page of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper for firing the 300,000th round of the war by the way of an artillery piece. Following the war, Mr. Edwards returned to Ashe County and worked as an upholsterer before he began a 41-year career as a supply clerk at Phoenix Chair Company and Thomasville Furniture. It was a rare occasion for Mr. Edwards to miss a day of work. He was a well known and respected member of the company and dutifully served the chair company until it finally ceased operations in 2001. After the plant's closing, Mr. Edwards continued to seek employment and refused to accept retirement. In addition to his position with the chair company, Mr. Edwards sold Electrolux vacuum cleaners for 14 years as a sales representative and delivered newspapers for the Winston Salem Journal. In his leisure time, Mr. Edwards enjoyed spending Sunday afternoons watching NASCAR and Carolina Panthers' football. On warm, summer evenings, Mr. Edwards would spend his time on the front porch where he would regale family members with stories from his youth and anecdotes of living in the southern Appalachian Mountains. He would also engage in conversation to whoever would stop by at his home and was well known and revered throughout the community. It was unusual for him to attend a public function and not to be greeted by dozens of locals who both knew and loved him dearly. Mr. Edwards eagerly anticipated the arrival of each spring as he thoroughly enjoyed tending to his garden with his loving wife, Ola Bell. He was also a master of his lawn and enjoyed mowing his yard at least once a week. In addition to his parents, Mr. Edwards was preceded in death by two brothers Ward "Beecher" Edwards and Earnest "Doc" Edwards; and a sister, Virginia Edwards Grubb. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ola Bell Edwards of the home. He is also survived by a son, Roger Van Edwards and wife, Sherry Edwards of Lewisville; three daughters, Rita Eller and husband Junior of Crumpler, Robin Settlemyre and husband Robert of Morganton, Rose Mary Hartzog and husband Rob of West Jefferson; two brothers, Danny and wife, Roberta, Lindsay Edwards and wife, Doris; one sister, Betty Phillips and husband, Charles. Also left to cherish his memory are five grandchildren; Jason Edwards of Lewisville, N.C, Matthew Eller, his wife, Olivia, of Purlear, N.C. Mandy Eller, of Mountain City, TN and Ashley and Jesse Campbell of Laurel Springs. The family would like to express their appreciation to High Country Hospice for providing Mr. Edwards with comfort and compassion in his final days. We can not adequately express our gratitude for what they have done for the family in allowing him to complete his journey from this life to the next from the comfort of his home where he was surrounded by those who loved him the most.