Obituary of Ret. Force LTC

WEST COLUMBIA: Funeral service for Ret. Air Force LTC, Ira A. Edens, 84, will be held at 12 p.m. Monday, October 29, 2012, in the Chapel of Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, officiated by Dr. Byron E. Edens and Rev. John O'Cain. Interment will be in Fort Jackson National Cemetery with Full Military Rites at the convenience of the family. The family will receive friends from 10 am until 11:30 a.m., prior to the service at the funeral home. Mr. Edens passed away Saturday, October 20, 2012. Born in Pickens, SC, he was a son of the late John E. Edens and Mary A. Cantrell Edens. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Columbia, where he served as a deacon. Mr. Edens was a member of the Armed Forces Reserve Officers Association, he served with the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Shaw Air Force Base; he was a Special Intelligence Officer for the Pentagon; received the Minuteman Award which recognizes exceptional achievement in a military organization; and received numerous awards and decorations over a long military career. Mr. Edens was an active member of the local Republican Party and was a recipient of the Strom Thurmond/Floyd Spence Award. He had a huge love of music and played both guitar and piano, he was especially fond of gospel music. Surviving is his loving wife of 57 years, Jane Edens; sons, Dr. Byron E. Edens (Therease) and Nolan I. Edens (Camille); sister, Sleaty Edens; and five grandchildren, Danielle Edens, Philip Edens, Rachel Edens, Nora Edens and Mavis Edens. Mr. Edens was preceded in death by his daughter, Rowena J. Edens; his son, Anthony R. Edens; his sister, Sady Edens; and brothers, Enos Edens, Ellis Edens and Wendell Edens.