Lt. Col. Harold Moultrie "Bubba" Edwards, Jr., Usaf (Ret.)

Harold Moultrie “Bubba” Edwards, Jr. ended his battle with cancer and flew into the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, April 10, 2023.

Bubba was born in Charleston, South Carolina in the fall of 1946. He was a self-proclaimed “son” of James Island where he was raised and graduated from Bishop England High School. While in high school, Bubba enlisted in the US Navy Reserves where he first began to feel a sense of duty to serve his country through the armed forces.

Bubba continued his education at The University of Mississippi, where he also continued to serve in the Navy until his graduation in 1969. Upon his graduation from Ole Miss, Bubba felt compelled to further serve his country, this time as an officer in the United States Air Force. Bubba proudly served within the Air Force for 20 years, eventually retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1989. As an Air Force Vietnam veteran, Bubba served in the Pentagon, Special Operations, and as the 41st Squadron Commander at Charleston Air Force Base. Bubba’s love for flying continued until his retirement from Northwest Airlines in 2006.

Bubba’s world travels with the Air Force eventually led him to Warner Robins, Georgia where he met the love of his life while serving at Robins Air Force Base. Bubba married Sue Smith Edwards in June of 1976, and together they traveled the country raising their family until his Air Force retirement led the family to their permanent home in Warner Robins.

As a citizen of Houston County, Bubba’s devotion to service continued to reveal itself through his work as the Mayor of Centerville, an active member of the Centerville Rotary Club, and member of Central Baptist Church and later Houston Lake Presbyterian Church. When he decided the time had come to retire completely, Bubba and Sue moved to Jackson Lake in Jasper County where they spent their golden years making beautiful memories with their children and grandchildren.

Bubba was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Moultrie (Mabel) Edwards, Sr.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 46 years, Sue Smith Edwards; son, Harold Moultrie (Ariela) Edwards, III; daughters, Christianna (Matthew) Coffing and Amelia (Zach) Vietri; grandchildren: Aaron (Rebecca) Edwards, James Coffing, Anne Coffing, Julianna Vietri, Lawton Vietri, and Poppy Vietri; his sisters, Joan Edwards McCormick and Pamela Edwards Bingham; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, 2023, in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home with visitation at 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Bubba will be laid to rest with full military honors on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Beaufort National Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. For friends and family unable to attend, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests that memorial donations be given in memory of Bubba to the Rotary Club of Centerville, P.O. Box 238, Centerville, GA 31028 or Make-a-Wish of Georgia, 1775 The Exchange Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30339, www.georgia.wish.org.

Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.