Colin William Edwards Obituary (1915

Colin was born in Laurel County, Kentucky on August 30, 1915 to Gertrude Jenney (Rose) and William Masters Edwards. After 97 years he passed away comfortably in his home on January 29, 2013 in Bremerton, WA. Colin was born before vaccines but survived whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, mumps, chickenpox, and malaria. He was born in a home without electricity. His first phone had a crank on the side of the box. At age five Colin, his brother Walter, and mother moved to Charleston, South Carolina where he later attended Charleston High School. He was a paper boy in the days when it cost 15 cents a week, sold Gold Rush Twins detergent door to door, and got ice from the ice house for his family's use. An avid lifelong boater, beginning at age 10 Colin built several seaworthy boats from scratch, using them to explore the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Bananas were free and plenty when Colin rowed under the docks during ships' unloading to pick up the floaters. He attended Southern Junior College (Southern Adventist University), Collegedale, TN for one year while working part-time in the school's broom factory. He then returned to Charleston to join the Charleston Naval Shipyard's Apprentice Program. Beginning with the Charleston Naval Shipyard apprenticeship program Colin quickly advanced through the supervisory ranks to Chief Quarterman (General Foreman), but his career paused when he enlisted in the US Navy during the Korean War. He was stationed at the Charleston Naval Shipyard so his expertise was readily available. In 1957 Colin was selected as the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Pipe Shop Master (Shop Superintendent). He moved to Bremerton before the interstate system was started, but he did find Disneyland along the way. As a supervisor he was known for his strict yet fair and honest work. He retired from PSNS in 1972 after 37 years of service, and was awarded the US Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award, the highest civilian award conferred. Colin was instrumental in the creation of the nuclear Navy by creating training programs for pipefitters working on nuclear ships, and led the PSNS Pipe Shop during the building of the USS Seattle. Colin wrote the first federal government instruction on safely working with asbestos and initiated important safety protocols for its use in the Pipe Shop. On September 30, 1943, Colin married the love of his life, Virginia Sorensen at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Charleston, SC. They had two children, Lucy and Colin Jr. After retirement Colin and Virginia enjoyed traveling to England, Scotland and Denmark and finding lost relatives. They returned to their Sullivan's Island beach house, renovating it into a favorite family destination. He loved his garden, especially his roses, his grandchildren, playing the banjo, shrimping, and fishing. Colin served as president of United Way of Kitsap County, and volunteered with the Small Business Administration Service Corps of Retired Executives. He was strongly involved at Our Lady Star of the Sea parish as a Eucharistic Minister, religious education teacher, and member of the Knights of Columbus. He belonged to the Bremerton Yacht Club and the Elks for many years. In the last five years of Colin's life he had a fantastic team of caregivers who provided loving and compassionate care. Colin is survived by his daughter, Lucy Edwards Hochstein of Radford, VA in addition to his grandchildren, James R. (Ivy) Hochstein, Jr. and great grandchild Chiara Hochstein and Susannah (Kevin) Rowles of Seattle, WA, Juliana (Andrew) Cook of Port Orchard, WA, and Lucy Ann Hochstein of Baton Rouge, LA and his former son-in-law James R. Hochstein of Bremerton, WA. On Monday, February 11th there will be a visitation at 7:00 PM and at 7:30 PM, a rosary prayed for him at Lewis Funeral Chapel, Bremerton, WA. On Tuesday, February 12th visitation will be at 10 AM and a funeral mass at 11 AM at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, and a 2 PM committal service at Forest Lawn Cemetery's Sunrise Terrace Mausoleum, both in Bremerton, WA. Colin loved flowers, but those preferring to make a memorial donation may send them to the Phoenix Academy Alternative High School, 134 Marion St., Bremerton, WA 98312. Colin's family and friends will dearly miss "The Boss."