Chester L. Edwards

Chester Lee Edwards was born September 25, 1921 on the family farm north of Oregon. His parents were Everett and Tillie (Ciepowowski) Edwards.

He attended Lincoln grade school, two years at Oregon High School, and was graduated in 1939 from Mound City High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from Park College in St. Louis, Missouri.

During World War II he was hired by Curtiss-Wright airplane manufactures in St. Louis to design airplanes for the war effort. After World War II he took a position with Trans World Airlines and held the following licenses: Airline Transport Pilot, Ground Instructor, Flight Instructor, Flight Engineer, Mechanic, Airplane Multiengine Land, Boeing 727, Commercial and Private Airplane and Reciprocating Engine Powered Turbo Jet. During his 24-year tenure with TWA he was also a private pilot for the owner, Howard Hughes, and was selected to groom an airplane for an around the world trip.

Mr. Edwards then took a position with the Federal Aviation Association in the main office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He took an early retirement from the F.A.A. in 1986 and retired to Mound City. During retirement he was appointed pilot examiner with the authority to issue pilot’s licenses and continued to fly for Express Flight in St. Joseph, Missouri, and many other private companies and individuals including a former governor of Missouri.  His flying career began in 1939 in open cockpit planes and continued through jet planes for a span of 77 years.

On September 29, 2007, Mr. Edwards was awarded the very prestigious Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award in recognition of his contributions to building and maintaining the safest aviation system, through practicing and promoting safe aircraft flight operations for fifty consecutive years.

Mr. Edwards was active in Kiwanis and held the position of Lt. Governor and was appointed to the Kiwanis Governor’s Council for the Mo-Ark district. He was also active in Knights of Columbus where he held the position of Grand Knight, in his church, and Toastmaster’s International.

Mr. Edwards passed away on Friday, May 24, 2019 at the age of 97 at the Oregon Care Center.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife of 43 years, Helen Marie Whelan.

Survivors include his second wife of 32 years, Peggy Ann (Bush) Edwards; a daughter, Mary Catherine (Edwards) Adams and her husband James Adams, two grandchildren, Robert Adams and Patrick Adams, and two great grandchildren, Sophia Adams and Dominic Adams.