James & Joan Edwards
( 1918 - 2006 )

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Joan Edward (1918-2006), born in London, became a professional singer. she was performing one night at Pittsburgh's William Penn Hotel when she caught the eye of a young man from Huntington who was working at a division of his fsther's company --- the National Mattress Company (NAMACO). His name was James "Jimmy" Edwards (1910- 1991), and he asked to meet her backstage. The two soon were married. Jimmy's father then sunnoned the newlyweds to Huntington to live. Jimmy Edwards had always loved horses. Over the years, that love became a virtual  obsession, He progressed from buying racehorses to buying racetracks. At one point, he owned 250 horsess and four racetracks. He diedd in 1991 at age 81. Shortly after Jimmy's death, his wife of 54 years announced that as part of his will, she was presenting $1 million to the Marshall University School of Medicine, $1 million to the Marshall Museum of Art, $2 million to the West Virginia Diocese of the Episcopal Church and $16 million to Cabell Huntington Hospital for construction of an adult cancer center. And that was just the start. Joan Edwards not only carried out the generous bequests spelled out in her husband's will, she ultimately donated millions more of her own money to Marshall and numerous other worthwhile causes.

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