Obituary of Rayford Whitten Edmondson

Funeral services for Rayford Whitten Edmondson, age 80, of Wedowee will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Midway Community Church with Bros. Jon Tal Murphree, Jimmy Yates, and Bro. Ricky Daniel officiating.  Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Tuesday, April 16. Mr. Edmondson will lie in state at the church for one hour prior to services beginning on Wednesday.

Mr. Edmondson passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Tanner East Alabama.

Survivors include: his wife, Judy Foster Edmondson; daughter, Terri (Richard) Lovvorn of Woodland; son, Wayne (Lisa) Hughes of Abanda; two stepdaughters, Jodie Kilbourne and Jamie Richardson; 8 grandchildren, Natalie (Jim) Lovvorn Boykin, Justan Lovvorn, Lauren Hughes, Eli Richardson, Ava Richardson, Abbigail Kilbourne, Jackson Kilbourne, and Sam Kilbourne; 4 sisters, Marie Cline, Sara Wilson, Penny Nicholls (James Bolton), and Elaine Blake, all of Wedowee; brother-in-law, Walter Ebert of Florida; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Justan Lovvorn, James Bolton, Mike Clemmons, Nathan Ryder, Jacob Ryder, Delmour Green, Rick Edmondson, and Jimmy Clemmons. Honorary pallbearers will be Jackson Kilbourne, Sam Kilbourne, Eli Richardson and the members of Auslins Chapel VFD.

A Randolph County native, Mr. Edmondson was born on October 11, 1943, the son of Wyatt Whitten and Etta Jane Formby Edmondson. After graduating from Randolph County High School, Mr. Edmondson worked for Colonial Bakery in Orlando, FL before retiring after 18 years in 1979. After he retired, he moved back to Randolph County where he opened Randolph County Appliance and Hardware. Mr. Edmondson always stayed busy, whether it was his involvement in the appliance store, B & R Stop & Go, his real estate dealings, or his cattle. He was a member of Midway Community Church where he also served as the Sunday School Superintendent. Mr. Edmondson was also a member of the Gideons for over 40 years. He not only gave out Bibles, he also encouraged them to read the Bible and to develop a relationship with God, saying, “It will make you a better person.” He loved to tell others about Jesus. Mr. Edmondson loved people, loved helping people and encouraging them to be the best they could be. He was a founding member of Auslins Chapel Volunteer Fire Department where he served as Chief. Mr. Edmondson always said that there is a blessing in every situation and sometimes you have to dig deeper to find them and sometimes God just presents them. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Barbara Edmondson; siblings, Jodie Ebert, Ricky Edmondson, Cecil Edmondson and Jean Mitchell.

Memorials may be floral or donations may be made to the Gideons International or St. Judes Childrens Hospital. 

Online condolences may be expressed at www.benefieldfhwedowee.com.