Merrill Eugene Toby Edwards

Merrill “Toby” Eugene Edwards, the son of Glen Maxwell and Elinore Dorothy (Welcher) Edwards, was born in Fontanelle, Iowa, on February 12, 1931. Toby entered eternal rest on Thursday, June 22, 2017, at his home in rural Prescott, Iowa, at the age of eighty-six years, four months, and ten days.
Toby attended Fontanelle High School, in Fontanelle, Iowa. Following school, Toby worked several jobs including his father’s Northview Dairy and Bill Risk’s gas station, as well as working for Adair County. Toby married Nila Rose Hoffman on August 25, 1950, in Perry, Iowa. Five children were born to bless this union: Tim, Teresa, Todd, Tyler and Tamara. They would move to Atlantic where Toby worked for Scybert’s Dairy. He started farming in the Atlantic area and then farmed on his own in 1969 around Walnut, Iowa. The family moved to Prescott in 1974 and Toby continued his farming career. Being no stranger to hard work, Toby would sometimes work three jobs to support his family.
Toby was an honorary member of the Prescott American Legion and a member of the Atlantic Moose Lodge. He also served on the board of the Fontanelle CO-OP. He was a member of the Carl United Methodist church. Toby had many interests. He was an avid bowler and he also enjoyed playing golf. He loved square dancing. Toby enjoyed spending time at his lake lot at Sun Valley Lake. He was a very good woodworker and electrician. Toby enjoyed “time with the guys”, but could also be content to keep to himself. Toby loved having been from a big family, and nothing pleased him more than time spent with his own family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Left to cherish Toby’s memory is his loving wife of sixty-six years, Nila, Prescott, Iowa; children: Tim (Pam) Edwards, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Teresa (Bob) Joss, Woodburn, Iowa; Todd (Brenda) Edwards, Greenfield, Iowa; Tyler (Marcy) Edwards, Corning, Iowa; Tamara (Gary) Riesenberg, Coon Rapids, Iowa; grandchildren: Amanda (Tim) McGee; Tanner (Pam) Edwards; Taylor (Ashley) Edwards; Hillari (Barney) Feezell; Heather Hutchins; Presley (Tye) Sparks; Addylyn Joss; Trevor Edwards; Tami Edwards; Nick Edwards: Holly (Derek) Stinebring; Jeremy Reese; Grant (Jamie) Reese; Brandi (Kevin) Culbertsen; Jessi Ensley; 23 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters: Beverly Main, Fontanelle, Iowa; Wanda Purdy, Greenfield; Karen Boon, Frisco, Texas; Pam (Dallas) Scott, Manson, Iowa; brothers: Gary (Sharon) Edwards Waukee, Iowa; Bob (Diane) Edwards, Greenfield, Iowa; Jeff (Renae) Edwards, Oak Grove, Missouri; Marty Edwards, Oak Grove, Missouri; sister-in-law, LaVee Bauer, Paton, Iowa, and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
Preceding Toby in death were his parents; mother-in-law and father-in-law: Helga and Harold Hoffman; two sisters: Phyllis Rohner; Ileta Jensen; and one brother: Neil Edwards; sisters-in-law: Bev Schaffer and Evona Pittman; brothers-in-law: Bud and Barney Hoffman.