Vincent Samuel Edwards was born on July 22, 1917 in England to Samuel and Jane (Keay) Edwards. The family emigrated to the United States in August, 1923 and took up residence on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet.
From his earliest days, Vincent was an outdoorsman and a talented musician. He played clarinet in the championship Joliet Grade School and Township High School bands and when World War II began, he was offered a relatively safe position in a U.S. Army band. Instead, Vincent chose to fight in a front line infantry unit as the Allies swept back the Axis forces out of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He was honored to meet General Eisenhower as well as crack Soviet troops who warned him of what havoc conscripted Russian soldiers would - and did - wreak on a prostrate Germany.
After the war, Vincent returned to Joliet and married Rosemary (born 1924). He adopted Rosemary's son David (born 1944), and the couple gave birth to Suzanne in 1948.
Working his way up from a custodial job, Vincent became night foreman at his beloved Joliet Township High School.
He developed kidney problems and passed away suddenly in the summer of 1961 while Jane was visiting relatives in England.
I consider Uncle Vinnie's early death to be the most devastating event in my family's history in America. If I had one wish, it would be to have had my uncle live to an age at which he and I would have shared adulthood together.
From his earliest days, Vincent was an outdoorsman and a talented musician. He played clarinet in the championship Joliet Grade School and Township High School bands and when World War II began, he was offered a relatively safe position in a U.S. Army band. Instead, Vincent chose to fight in a front line infantry unit as the Allies swept back the Axis forces out of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He was honored to meet General Eisenhower as well as crack Soviet troops who warned him of what havoc conscripted Russian soldiers would - and did - wreak on a prostrate Germany.
After the war, Vincent returned to Joliet and married Rosemary (born 1924). He adopted Rosemary's son David (born 1944), and the couple gave birth to Suzanne in 1948.
Working his way up from a custodial job, Vincent became night foreman at his beloved Joliet Township High School.
He developed kidney problems and passed away suddenly in the summer of 1961 while Jane was visiting relatives in England.
I consider Uncle Vinnie's early death to be the most devastating event in my family's history in America. If I had one wish, it would be to have had my uncle live to an age at which he and I would have shared adulthood together.
Vincent Samuel Edwards was born on July 22, 1917 in England to Samuel and Jane (Keay) Edwards. The family emigrated to the United States in August, 1923 and took up residence on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet.
From his earliest days, Vincent was an outdoorsman and a talented musician. He played clarinet in the championship Joliet Grade School and Township High School bands and when World War II began, he was offered a relatively safe position in a U.S. Army band. Instead, Vincent chose to fight in a front line infantry unit as the Allies swept back the Axis forces out of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He was honored to meet General Eisenhower as well as crack Soviet troops who warned him of what havoc conscripted Russian soldiers would - and did - wreak on a prostrate Germany.
After the war, Vincent returned to Joliet and married Rosemary (born 1924). He adopted Rosemary's son David (born 1944), and the couple gave birth to Suzanne in 1948.
Working his way up from a custodial job, Vincent became night foreman at his beloved Joliet Township High School.
He developed kidney problems and passed away suddenly in the summer of 1961 while Jane was visiting relatives in England.
I consider Uncle Vinnie's early death to be the most devastating event in my family's history in America. If I had one wish, it would be to have had my uncle live to an age at which he and I would have shared adulthood together.
From his earliest days, Vincent was an outdoorsman and a talented musician. He played clarinet in the championship Joliet Grade School and Township High School bands and when World War II began, he was offered a relatively safe position in a U.S. Army band. Instead, Vincent chose to fight in a front line infantry unit as the Allies swept back the Axis forces out of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He was honored to meet General Eisenhower as well as crack Soviet troops who warned him of what havoc conscripted Russian soldiers would - and did - wreak on a prostrate Germany.
After the war, Vincent returned to Joliet and married Rosemary (born 1924). He adopted Rosemary's son David (born 1944), and the couple gave birth to Suzanne in 1948.
Working his way up from a custodial job, Vincent became night foreman at his beloved Joliet Township High School.
He developed kidney problems and passed away suddenly in the summer of 1961 while Jane was visiting relatives in England.
I consider Uncle Vinnie's early death to be the most devastating event in my family's history in America. If I had one wish, it would be to have had my uncle live to an age at which he and I would have shared adulthood together.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
