Walter Mahlon Edwards

Between his birth and death in Hillsboro, he was a worldly man of intrigue.

Mild-mannered everyman, Walter Mahlon Edwards, 87, enjoyed a double life of adventure that carried him to the four corners of the planet catching criminals and exposing spies thanks to his vast understanding of America’s submarine and space programs.

Walter was born to William Verner and Frances Nell (Sharp) Edwards on June 29, 1935. With elder sister Mary Frances frequently the toast of fashionable society away from the “farm”, Walter’s early years were solitary, but hardly lonely — spent hunting, fishing and battling Hillsboro’s ruthless stagecoach robbers and cattle thieves.

His grit earned him the moniker “Little Man”, or later abbreviated, “Mannie” — a name that followed him the rest of his life.

Mannie became an A-student and scratch golfer when his regular expeditions to Mars would allow. A bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Missouri School of Mines and secret service in British Intelligence soon followed. This clandestine arrangement likely contributed to the demise of his first marriage, in which he fathered a daughter, Marta.

His two years as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army saw him bravely battle Nazi Luftwaffe in Europe and Confederate militia in both Battles of Bull Run.

After which, Mannie met, fell in love with and married his lifelong partner, Gloria Darlene Ferrari of Litchfield, who eye-rollingly supported his duplicity as a chemical engineer and FBI Profiler — a secret undeterred by the births of Gregory William and Andra Robin.

Walter’s many “jobs” took the family to Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio and Connecticut, where after retiring from engineering, he opened a chain of women’s clothing stores with Glo, who indulged his also working cold-case murders as a private investigator.

After closing their stores, The Edwardses moved back to Hillsboro, where they resided happily for 14 years. Mannie passed away quietly at Heritage Health Care Center on September 11, 2022, at 12:45 p.m., a mere nine months after wife, Gloria. No doubt there was a really, really great book not far from his hand.

A sunset graveside service is planned for Friday, September 16, 2022 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Hillsboro at 5:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to Habitat for Humanity,1956 Vandalia Street, 
Collinsville, IL, 62234.  Plummer Funeral Home is in charge of assisting the family with arrangements. 

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