Gene Kendall Edwards died on January 4, 2019 after a lengthy bout with cancer.

Gene was born on March 17, 1948 to Margaret Jane and Kenneth Clarence Edwards in Tillamook, Oregon. His family moved to the Black Hills when Gene was 6, where he attended Spearfish public schools. He proudly served as Chaplain of his DeMolay chapter in High School. He received a B.A. in Education from Huron University and his Masters from Hamline University.

Gene served as School Social Worker of Maple Lake Public Schools for 25 years and was President of the Minnesota School Social Workers Association. He was previously a social worker at the South Dakota State Training School in Newell, SD, and counselor at several juvenile facilities in South Dakota and Minnesota. He established nine county professional foster care program in Southwest Minnesota.

He is lovingly survived by his daughter, Brittany Diana Edwards, in Minneapolis; sister, Reva Sexton and brother-in-law Jon, in Lead, SD; a niece, Ann Erika White Bird, and numerous cousins. He also considers Fred Muirs, Judy Walker, and Dave Doom his family. Gene was a personal trainer and AAY Bodybuilding Chairman for five states. He considered the young people he trained as brothers and sisters.

Thank you to his caretakers and advocates who helped during his illness, especially his neighbors, Sandy Swanson and Sheryl Bach, and his best dog, Charlie. He requested that memorials be given to The Humane Society.

A memorial service will be held at the Maple Lake High School Library in Maple Lake, Minnesota on Saturday, March 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Another memorial service for the family is being planned in Spearfish, SD during Fourth of July weekend. Burial will be at Rosehill Cemetery in Spearfish, SD.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Isburg Crematory of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com