Dr. Rich (Richard Milton) Edwards, PhD, peacefully entered his heavenly rest August 18, 2026. He will be remembered as a true and accomplished academic. He received his BA in Philosophy of Science from the University of Tennessee Knoxville; his MDiv from Columbia Biblical Seminary of Columbia International University (Columbia, SC); and his PhD in Theology and Religious Studies specializing in Historical and Philosophical Theology in from the University of Wales.

He had an interesting and varied career working in business, pastoring churches, and teaching on the college level.

He pastored churches in Georgia, Tennessee, and Wisconsin being ordained in the Southern Baptist Convention, the Presbyterian Church in America and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church from which he retired as Pastor Emeritus.

As a professor he taught primarily for the University of Wisconsin system teaching and creating traditional and online courses in Applied and Business Ethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, Comparative Religions, and Philosophy of Science.

He was a founding member of eArmyU, an online system designed to allow military personnel wherever they are stationed to pursue accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees online.

His greatest joys were his Lord Jesus, his family, the study of the Bible, and philosophical and the theological contemplation and argumentation.

He is predeceased by his father Richard Gilbert Edwads, Jr, one of the Erwin Nine in Upper East Tennessee known for their unique WWII POW experience, his mother Charlotte Warwick Edwards and his sister Carol Crowder. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Cindy Edwards and his son Aaron, wife Elizabeth and granddaughter Everly. He is survived by his niece Kimberly Crowder-Vaughn of Johnson City, TN, and nephew Eric Crowder of Johnson City, Tn, his sister-in-in-law Jennifer Gregory and his niece Kim Gregory and nephew Christian Gregory of Knoxville, TN.

Service details are currently unavailable.

Arrangements are entrusted to Sumner Funeral and Cremation, 615-452-9059, www.sumnerfuneral.com