Mattie Lou Edwards, age 95, passed away October 24, 2025. She was born on a farm in Union County on April 30, 1930, the youngest of 11 children. She developed many skills on the farm, even learning to drive a tractor, and was instilled with an appreciation for hard work.

Mattie Lou was a graduate of Union High School and King's business college. While in High School, she drove a school bus and claimed to have been the youngest female bus driver in the State of North Carolina.

Mattie Lou worked diligently for her entire life. Her work history includes employment at Belk's department stores, Eckerds drug stores, The First Baptist Church of Charlotte, The Providence Baptist Church of Charlotte, and cafeteria work in the Reedy Creek School in Charlotte, from which she retired at age 87.

Mattie Lou loved gardening, fishing, cooking and traveling with her lifelong friend, Louise Montgomery. She claimed to have visited every state in the union. She was famous for her smile, sunny disposition, her positive attitude and her "bone crushing" hugs when greeting members of her family. She enjoyed getting together with her family for Christmas and Thanksgiving meals, where she could be counted on to make delicious gravy while enjoying a glass of red wine.

Mattie Lou is preceded in death by her parents, Wilson Norman Edwards and Lura Helms Edwards, and her siblings, Colon Williams (Bundy), Van Edwards (Virginia), Wilson Norman Jr., Vivian Jones (Wilson), J.V. Edwards (Mabel), Oda Moore (Harold), Kathleen Adcock (Roy), Heath Edwards (Doris), Vena Edwards, and Billy E. Edwards (Mary). She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 1, 2025  at the Monroe City Cemetery on Bickett Street in Monroe, North Carolina, and a reception will be held afterwards from noon until 2:00 PM at Hilltop Restaurant in Monroe.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to Hospice of Union County, 700 West Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, NC 28110.