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<p><em>Gregory Newell Edwards</em>, the son of Edgar and Mary Edwards, was born in Henderson, NC on August 16, 1948. His father was a World War II veteran, landed on D-Day and participated in military campaigns from there to Germany. Greg was number two of three children, a girl and two boys. He was very close to his brother, Alan, and would follow him to West Point. Greg graduated from Henderson High School, where he was a star athlete with solid grades. He was captain of the basketball team, an All-State football player and lettered in track and field. He was pursued by Dartmouth College, but Army won out. </p>
<p>At West Point, Greg was unique in his cadet company. He was described as an undefinable essence of Company E-4, very much at the center of its culture. As one classmate expressed it: “Without Greg we would not be the same group. He was a combination of the outfit’s sense of humor, an unflinching mirror for ourselves and life itself.” He displayed a social conscience and a whole lot of social common sense. A classmate recalls Greg telling him that, as a young boy, when in line in a store back in Henderson, NC, black shoppers would get out of line to let him go ahead. This made him feel bad, and he despised the segregation in his hometown. All of his companymates quickly realized Greg was unique, salt of the earth and hilarious. He was a leader, mentor to some, clothier to others and an all-round reliable friend. He could sing and dance and rise above all pettiness while others allowed it to make them dispirited. He made the good times better and the bad times tolerable. No event captured this more than a yearling skit at Camp Buckner. Greg orchestrated a line dance to Aretha Franklin’s classic song “Respect.” The performance brought the house down and the whole class then finally knew Greg as we did in E-4. Greg continued as an outstanding athlete at the Academy. As a plebe he played core squad football, then “B” Squad lacrosse and back to intramural football as a firstie (injuries sidelined him yearling year).</p>
<p>In October 1970 Greg married the love of his life, Mary Helen Hancock. The couple had known each other during high school and began dating before his graduation from West Point. Together they had four children, two boys and two girls. As a family they moved 10 times, including two years in Hong Kong. These moves could put a strain on the family. Children often attended two or three different high schools. At the same time, Greg often traveled, and Mary Helen had to shoulder the load. But the family stayed tight and managed through it.</p>
<p>Greg’s Army experience began upon graduation when he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Defense Artillery. During his Army years he was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany; Key West, FL; Petersburg, VA; and Indianapolis, IN. After seven years of service, he honorably resigned his commission as a captain and joined the civilian business world.</p>
<p>In business Greg initially joined Wheelabrator-Frye Corporation as controller in 1977. In 1981 he moved to Waste Management Inc. as director of finance. As an executive with Waste Management, he had extensive international experience with assignments in Hong Kong and Brazil, among others. His successes earned him the promotion to vice president in 1984. Greg’s career continued until 2003, at which time he retired.</p>
<p>Mary Helen and Greg retired in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During that time the children remember him as being lighthearted, enjoying the beach and appreciating a cold beer. The family really enjoyed hanging out together in a relaxed space. Greg and Mary Helen enjoyed retirement, and Fort Lauderdale was the perfect spot. They embraced the nightlife, enjoyed the variety of entertainment (including dog racing), and couldn’t get enough beach time. Greg and Mary Helen knew how to party. Their motto was “to live in the moment.” At the end, while suffering from colorectal cancer, Greg pushed off any visitors. One classmate recalled that when he spoke on the phone, he said, “He held me in his heart and that if I came down to see him the moment would come when I would get up to leave and he could not bear that.” They agreed to see each other, next time.</p>
<p>Throughout their marriage Greg and Mary Helen stayed in contact with his West Point companymates and once sponsored a wonderful mini reunion in Fort Lauderdale. His thoughts on life continued to be novel, illuminating, interesting and different, forcing the listeners to challenge their thinking. At his last E-4 gathering in August 2018, we all met in Detroit and Toledo for a mini reunion. Detroit was experiencing a renaissance, and we were there to celebrate. Of course we visited the Motown Museum. While there Greg (and his line dance team) broke out in song and dance to the song “Respect.” It was the day after Aretha Franklin died in Detroit, and we joined the city in paying tribute. The movements were a bit slower, but his spirited nature was still evident. Local news cameras caught the skit, and for a few moments we were all taken back to 1967 and Camp Buckner. Only Greg could do that for us.</p>
<p><em>— Company E-4</em></p>
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