Funeral: 2:00 PM Monday, July 28th, 2008
First Baptist Church


Graveside: 3:00 PM Monday, July 28th, 2008
Sunset Memorial Gardens



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Arthur B. Edmundson, 92, died on Thursday, July 17, 2008, in his home in Stillwater, OK. Born January 13, 1916, in Shawnee, OK, he was the son of the late Herbert S. and Cora F. Houchin Edmundson. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 28, 2008, at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Tim Walker officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Edmundson graduated from Shawnee High School in 1933, and attended Oklahoma Baptist University for one year prior to moving to Stillwater. In 1938, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma A&M College, and began his career with the Agricultural Adjustment Administration.

In June 1942, he was called to active duty and inducted into the United States Army at Fort Sill, OK. He was transferred to Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, CO, and assigned to the Adjutant General's office in the 89th Infantry "Rolling W" Division Headquarters.

On November 14, 1942, while in Colorado Springs, he married the former Rose Marie Crow of Wagoner, OK. He met Rose Marie when she began working in his department at the Agricultural Adjustment Administration.

During the next two years, he moved with his Division to several Army bases within the States, and in January 1945, he transferred with his Division to Le Havre, France. The Division engaged in heavy combat throughout France and Germany until the end of World War II. After the war, he served with occupation forces at Rouen, France.

In January 1946, he returned with his Division to the Port of New York enroute to Camp Chaffee in Fort Smith, AR, where he was honorably discharged with the rank of Technical Sergeant. While serving his country, he received numerous medals of honor and was decorated with two Bronze Service Stars.

In February 1946, he returned to his wife in Stillwater and his career with the Department of Agriculture. He retired in January 1980, after 42 years of service, as Head of the Production Adjustment Section of the Agricultural Stabilization & Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

During his retirement, he was a member of the Payne County Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. In 1988, he served as Chapter President and was Chairman of the Oklahoma State Convention. Since 1990, he held the position of Service Officer and was responsible for advising members in the areas of Federal employee insurance, health benefits, annuities and taxation. In April 2008,
he attended the State convention in Oklahoma City to receive the Service Officer of the Year Award for the Oklahoma Federation. In September, he was to receive the Regional Service Officer of the Year Award in Louisville, KY.

He was a member of the American Association of Retired Persons and for the past 20 years completed annual training in tax return preparation. As a qualified Tax-Aide Counselor, he volunteered countless hours assisting retirees in preparing their Federal and State income tax returns.

He was a member of Stillwater Kiwanis and the American Legion and volunteered his time and energy to numerous civic projects including the annual Special Olympics. He was a life long member of the First Baptist Church and for many years was Secretary-Treasurer of his Sunday School class.

He was a lifetime member of the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association and was a loyal supporter of OSU athletics. He was a member of the Posse Club and an avid Cowboy basketball fan, and he and Rose Marie attended every home game.

During his 28 years of retirement, he and his wife of 65 years, logged thousands of miles traveling to all 50 states and Canada and Mexico. He loved to spend time with his family and much of the couple's travels included their two grandchildren.

His retirement years were dedicated to giving back to his community. He lived his life with exceptional character and integrity and believed that it was a much greater deed to give than to receive. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and a loyal friend to all. He will be greatly missed by his family, his community and all who knew him.

He was predeceased by his parents, two brothers, Alfred Edmundson and Ralph Edmundson, and one sister, Rachel Osborn.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Warren L. Edmundson of Houston, TX; a daughter, Marsha Butler and her husband Jim of Clinton, OK; two grandchildren, Shana Mummert and her husband Jeremy of Yorba Linda, CA, and Blake Rambo of Norman, OK; a sister, Edith Sweeden of Huntingdon Valley, PA; two sisters-in-law, Christine Edmundson of Shawnee, OK, and Mabel Edmundson of Nampa, ID; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Active pallbearers will be Charles Cooksey, David Haggard, Bob Harding, Bob Lowrey, Curtis Richardson and Roland Willis. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Payne County Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and Stillwater Kiwanis. Emily Williams will serve as vocalist and Ina Lou Rackley will serve as organist.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made in his name to the First Baptist Church, 701 S. Duncan St., Stillwater, OK 74074; Judith Karman Hospice, P.O. Box 818, Stillwater, OK 74076; or Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 2408, Stillwater, OK 74076.

Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.