Jeanne Edwards

Longtime La Cañada resident Jeanne Seidel Edwards, 85, died on Feb. 23, 2010 in Pasadena. A memorial service is planned for Friday, March 5, at 10 a.m. at La Cañada Presbyterian Church, 626 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. Associate Pastor Peter Hintzoglou will officiate.

Jeanne was born Dec. 6, 1924, to William and Alice Heacock Seidel.

She graduated from Hoover High in Glendale and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in physical education from UCLA. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, and a drum majorette for the UCLA marching band, twirling batons specially designed for her by her father, Lockheed engineer William E. Seidel.

Jeanne married fellow Bruin and Navy man John S. Edwards on June 18, 1947. The couple settled in Pacific Palisades. Jeanne taught physical education at Beverly Vista Junior High. In 1963, John and Jeanne moved to La Cañada to raise their three children, and stayed for the rest of their lives in the community they loved and served.

Jeanne was an involved wife, mother, grandmother and individual. She and John took the children on many driving vacations around California. When she became a grandmother, she extended her love to her grandchildren, making sure they all explored the world with her via trips to the Los Angeles Zoo and Descanso Gardens. Annual summer camping trips to Tahoe in a pop-up trailer were highlights for the whole family.

Jeanne could also be depended upon as a handy-woman. Her father taught her to use a lathe, a drill press and many other tools in his shop. When she occasionally worked as a substitute for high school “boys only” shop classes in the 1960s, jaws would drop as she demonstrated the use of the tool for that day.

Throughout her life, Jeanne was happiest with her family and participating in her community. Among her many volunteer hours were those spent supporting the La Cañada Tournament of Roses Assn., the American Field Service, and fund-raising for local scholarships. While serving with the city, she had a hand in bringing the present playground area and bandstand to Memorial Park. Other interests in Jeanne’s life included architecture, particularly the Craftsman style of Greene & Greene, and UCLA athletics.

She reserved a special part of her heart for Mammoth Mountain. In recent years, she and husband John had enjoyed Mammoth’s summer festival, the Jazz Jubilee. The family was able to have many reunions at their Mammoth condo, for which Jeanne was most grateful.

Jeanne was predeceased by her husband John, and is survived by son John S. Edwards, Jr. and wife Zina, daughter Jody Edwards Kenney, daughter Nancy Elliott Rhodes and husband Dave; and three grandchildren: Tyler Kenney, Catherine McConnell, and Kyle Edwards. Family and friends will miss her generosity, active mind, enthusiasm for life, and service to others.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge at PO Box 111, La Cañada, CA 91012, or to Breast Cancer research: https://ww5.komen.org.