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- [S5] Obituary.
Republican, The (Springfield, MA) - Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Deceased Name: Joseph K. Edwards: 'Well-liked' Joe will be missed by many
acarbone@repub.com
Joseph K. Edwards of Westfield and West Springfield loved cars, music and people.
WEST SPRINGFIELD - Friends and family members are remembering Joseph K. Edwards as a high-spirited young man who loved music and working on cars.
Edwards was 21 when he died in a one-car crash in Westfield on Saturday.
A native of Westfield, he moved to this city when he was 12. As a youngster, he played lacrosse, but BMX-riding became a passion. He won more than 100 trophies for racing, said his mother, Elizabeth A. Edwards, yesterday.
"He was one of a kind; he was very energetic," she said. "He was a very vibrant, funny kid. He had trouble sitting still."
Edwards burned off some of that energy with in-line skating and snowboarding.
Later, cars replaced bikes as his main interest. He learned the mechanical side of automobiles from his father.
"He loved working on his cars, especially the Honda," recalled Jonathan A. Tesny, 18, of West Springfield.
He and Edwards were friends and neighbors. "He was a good kid," Tesny said.
Edwards's restless nature and his dislike for the early hours of the day led him to drop out of West Springfield High School, said another city friend, Kevin J. Malmborg, 19.
"He was smart; he was just not a morning person," Malmborg said.
Instead, after leaving school, Edwards earned a general education diploma and was finishing his mechanic's certification at the Baran Institute of Technology in Windsor, Conn. He also was working full-time at Ruwac USA of Holyoke.
"He was a hard worker," Liz Edwards said.
Matt J. Hanlon, 20, also attends the Baran Institute. He remembered Edwards as an outgoing person who was at ease talking with anyone, even a stranger.
He had a sharp sense of humor, Hanlon noted.
"He was always trying to get people to laugh," he said.
But the best times with Edwards were just being in the garage working on their cars, Hanlon said.
Recently, Edwards and friends swapped the motor on his car, giving it more power and speed, Malmborg said.
Music was also a big interest. Edwards started playing the drums as a teenager, and sat in with local bands, including Another Tomorrow and Malachi Constant.
Friends said that Edwards was a laid-back kind of fellow who was well-liked.
"Joe was wicked easy to get along with," Malmborg said.
Edwards also was a true animal lover. His two pitbulls - Carmen and Vince - were special to him, friends said.
In addition to his mother, he leaves his father, Mark S. Edwards; a sister, Nicole Gamache of East Longmeadow, and a brother, Fred Gamache of Orono, Maine.
The funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. tomorrow in Toomey O'Brien Funeral Home at 1043 Westfield St.
- [S5] Obituary.
Republican, The (Springfield, MA) - Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Deceased Name: Joseph K. Edwards
1985 - 2007
WEST SPRINGFIELD - Joseph K. Edwards, 21, of West Springfield, passed away on Saturday, January 27, 2007. Born in Springfield on December 30, 1985, Joey attended Westfield and West Springfield schools and earned his GED in 2004. He was employed by RUWAC USA in Holyoke and was currently working towards his ASE Mechanic Certification at the Baran Institute in East Windsor, CT. His passions were his dogs, Carmen and Vince, working on cars in the garage with his best friend Matt Hanlon, and spending as much time as possible with his family and friends. He was also an avid drummer who played with local bands, Another Tommorow and Malachi Constant. A loving son, Joey will be greatly missed by his mother, Liz and her partner, Ray Wellspeak, his father, Mark S. Edwards and his partner, Cori Napolitan, all of West Springfield. He also leaves his loving sister, Nicole Gamache of East Longmeadow, and his loving brother, Fred Gamache and his wife, Mary of Orono, ME. He also leaves his beloved grandmothers, Gloria Barnes and Jeanette Fuller, both of Westfield. In addition, he leaves his nieces and nephews, Madison, Shelby, Julien, Isaiah and Ella, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. Joey will forever live in the hearts of his family and friends, all of whom thought him to be a wonderful person whose life was cut too short. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday at 11:00 AM at the Toomey O'Brien Funeral Home, 1043 Westfield St. West Springfield. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday from 3:00 until 8:00 PM and Thursday from 10:00 until 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Burial will be held in the spring at Paucatuck Cemetery in West Springfield. Contributions in Joey's name may be directed to the West Springfield Federal Credit Union care of Joseph K. Edwards Scholarship Fund 58 Union St. W. Spfld. 01089 or to the American Diabetes Association, Memorial Honor Program, P.O. Box 1132 Fairfax, VA 22038-1132.
Edition: ALL
Page: B04
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1985 - 2007 (22 years)
