By Laurie Frost
BYU professor Weston Eyring Edwards had a grand list of accomplishments. A BYU graduate with a near-perfect GPA at only 19 years old, he graduated from Harvard Business School at the top of his class.
However, that?s not what people remembered about him when he died suddenly on Sept. 25. They remember he was a husband, father and grandfather first.
Married to Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards for 51 years, they had 12 children, 75 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Edwards prayed for them individually every day.
?It took him 45 minutes to say his prayers in the morning,? said Charles Edwards, the oldest son. ?He mentioned everyone by name and his concerns with them. He had to schedule time to pray because he didn?t feel it appropriate to just mention them as a group.?
All of Edwards?s family, except for two grandchildren who were on missions, were at the funeral. Also in attendance were Elder Robert D. Hales, a dear family friend, and Elder Henry B. Eyring, Edwards?s first cousin. Both Elder Hales and Elder Eyring spoke, expressing their love and respect for Edwards and praising his accomplishments.
Edwards was nationally renowned in the financial, real estate and mortgage banking industry. He also founded the National Housing Roundtable, a successful mortgage banking company.
After serving a mission with his wife in Johannesburg, South Africa, Edwards decided to come back to BYU to teach a few classes for fun.
?After he and his wife came back?he contacted me and our dean, volunteering to teach a home ownership class,? said Grant McQueen, professor of finance. ?You learn by making mistakes, and it?s an expensive way to learn. He taught students not to make those mistakes.?
Jim Engebretsen, finance director at the Marriott School, said that Edwards?s classes were so relevant that many of the faculty wished they could have taken those classes when they were in school.
?Weston was a very popular teacher, someone who did very well in his profession and came back to give back,? Engebretsen said.
Nevertheless, Edwards always put family first.
?All the children said that even though he was very professionally oriented, when he came home, he came home,? said Dean Longmore, finance professor. ?Family was number one.?
His son agreed.
?He didn?t even take up golf because it would take away time from his family or children or grandchildren,? Charles Edwards said. ?He was completely selfless.?
To send condolences, contact the Warenski Funeral Home at (801) 763-5000.