William E. Edwards

William “Bill” Edwards, aged 90, of Forest Hill, Maryland, passed away on January 13, 2026. He was a former dairy farmer, Navy veteran, signals analyst, and volunteer math instructor. The titles he was most proud of, however, were husband, father, “Poppop,” and friend.

Born in New London, Connecticut, on May 8, 1935, to Jeff Elgin and Ruth Brookshire Edwards, Bill spent much of his early years in Vernal, Utah; Sparta, North Carolina; and Forest Hill, Maryland; before his family settled permanently in Forest Hill in 1949. He was an outstanding student, especially in mathematics and science, and was the valedictorian of the Bel Air High School class of 1953.

After graduation, he helped his father run the family dairy farm before joining the Navy and serving as a communications technician. His assignments took him from Bainbridge, MD; to San Francisco’s Treasure Island; to Sidi Yahia, Morocco; to Karamursel, Turkey; and eventually to the secretive halls of the National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade. He continued working at NSA as a government civilian for more than 35 years. He truly loved his work and became an expert in the area of encoded missile telemetry. His coworkers especially enjoyed his unique ability to use simple farming analogies—or his signature “manure spreader theory”—to help assess and explain complex technical equipment and processes.

Following his government retirement, Bill volunteered in the math department of Harford Christian School, as well as served on the school’s governing board. He assisted teachers in helping to grade papers, teach key concepts, and work individually with students. The struggling student was his specialty; and his kind and patient demeanor, emphasis on fundamentals, and passion to help others learn made him an effective, popular fixture at the school for more than 17 years. And for the rest of his life, many of his former students would continue to reach out to tell him how much he’d helped them understand math and have success in their subsequent education paths.

Bill was also a devoted Christian and attendee of Reformation Bible Church in Darlington, Maryland, for more than 50 years, where he served in numerous leadership and teaching roles. In addition, he enjoyed canoeing/kayaking, vacationing in the West, and attending youth sports events.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Barbara Holbrook Edwards; daughter Brenda (and husband Timothy) Urey of Airville, Pennsylvania; son Mark (and wife Ruth) Edwards of Delta, Pennsylvania; son Eric (and wife Karol) Edwards of Forest Hill, Maryland; as well as 14 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and countless other family and friends. He will be greatly missed but fondly remembered by all.

A visitation will be held at Reformation Bible Church from 9 to 11 am on Monday, January 19th, followed by the funeral service from 11 to 12. Interment will be at Bel Air Memorial Gardens. Donations may be made in Bill’s honor to Harford Christian School (www.harfordchristian.org).