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William “Bill” Clyde Edwards, Jr. , of Winston-Salem, NC, died peacefully on January 2, 2024 at the age of 93. Bill was born on April 19, 1930 in Greensboro to William Clyde Edwards and Mary Elizabeth Carter Edwards. Bill was raised in Raleigh and graduated from Hugh Morson High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of Chi Psi fraternity. He was a lifelong Tar Heel fan.
After graduating from UNC, Bill served his country in the United States Navy in Alameda, CA and Virginia Beach, VA. At the completion of his military service, Bill embarked on a distinguished career with Wachovia Bank where, using a textbook and a pencil, he founded the International Department. He remained in that department for 33 years until he retired. Bill loved his work which afforded him the opportunity to travel the world. He felt the best gift of all was the connections he made among a worldwide community of bankers. His favorite countries included England, Germany and Japan, and he especially loved Australians because “they were a rowdy bunch”. Bill was a member of Rotary International, and his travels allowed him to further its mission of advancing peace and understanding through the fellowship of business leaders.
In addition to Bill’s work at the bank, he was an instructor at the LSU School of Banking of the South. He was proud to be able to mentor young bankers on their career path in international business.
Bill was a gentle soul and will be remembered for his many interests. He was a voracious reader and lifelong learner. He enjoyed a good cup of coffee, lots and lots of ice cream, NYT crossword puzzles, all kinds of gadgets, backyard birdwatching, the mountains, duck hunting, picking blackberries, live theater and especially music. His daughters have fond childhood memories of falling asleep as he played Percy Faith records on a nearby stereo.
In addition to being an eloquent writer, Bill had a terrific sense of humor and was a great teller of jokes. One never knew from where his next quip would come.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Nancy Edwards Fowler; and his second wife, Reba Fincher Edwards. He is survived by his three daughters, Lydia Arden Rollins (Fran) of Helotes, TX, Lauran Allyson Greene (Scott) of Atlanta, GA and Elisabeth Ashley Borowicz (Mark) of Myrtle Beach, SC; his four grandchildren, John Palmer Greene II, MD, Mary Frazier Greene Lind (Peter), Olivia Mansfield Borowicz, and William Brice Borowicz; and his two great grandsons, Kevin Hudson Shooter and Anders Scott Lind; and his first wife, Barbara Thompson Jackson.
The family would like to thank Bill’s devoted caregivers: Rolanda Baldwin, Ada Farmer and Jeannette Patton for their tender loving care in Bill’s final months.
A service to honor Bill’s life will be held in the spring when flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing. Ice cream will be served!
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Blue Ridge Conservancy, P.O. Box 568, Boone, NC 28607, Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Ln., Winston-Salem, NC 27103, or a charity of your choice. Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is assisting the family of Mr. Edwards.
William “Bill” Clyde Edwards, Jr. , of Winston-Salem, NC, died peacefully on January 2, 2024 at the age of 93. Bill was born on April 19, 1930 in Greensboro to William Clyde Edwards and Mary Elizabeth Carter Edwards. Bill was raised in Raleigh and graduated from Hugh Morson High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of Chi Psi fraternity. He was a lifelong Tar Heel fan.
After graduating from UNC, Bill served his country in the United States Navy in Alameda, CA and Virginia Beach, VA. At the completion of his military service, Bill embarked on a distinguished career with Wachovia Bank where, using a textbook and a pencil, he founded the International Department. He remained in that department for 33 years until he retired. Bill loved his work which afforded him the opportunity to travel the world. He felt the best gift of all was the connections he made among a worldwide community of bankers. His favorite countries included England, Germany and Japan, and he especially loved Australians because “they were a rowdy bunch”. Bill was a member of Rotary International, and his travels allowed him to further its mission of advancing peace and understanding through the fellowship of business leaders.
In addition to Bill’s work at the bank, he was an instructor at the LSU School of Banking of the South. He was proud to be able to mentor young bankers on their career path in international business.
Bill was a gentle soul and will be remembered for his many interests. He was a voracious reader and lifelong learner. He enjoyed a good cup of coffee, lots and lots of ice cream, NYT crossword puzzles, all kinds of gadgets, backyard birdwatching, the mountains, duck hunting, picking blackberries, live theater and especially music. His daughters have fond childhood memories of falling asleep as he played Percy Faith records on a nearby stereo.
In addition to being an eloquent writer, Bill had a terrific sense of humor and was a great teller of jokes. One never knew from where his next quip would come.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Nancy Edwards Fowler; and his second wife, Reba Fincher Edwards. He is survived by his three daughters, Lydia Arden Rollins (Fran) of Helotes, TX, Lauran Allyson Greene (Scott) of Atlanta, GA and Elisabeth Ashley Borowicz (Mark) of Myrtle Beach, SC; his four grandchildren, John Palmer Greene II, MD, Mary Frazier Greene Lind (Peter), Olivia Mansfield Borowicz, and William Brice Borowicz; and his two great grandsons, Kevin Hudson Shooter and Anders Scott Lind; and his first wife, Barbara Thompson Jackson.
The family would like to thank Bill’s devoted caregivers: Rolanda Baldwin, Ada Farmer and Jeannette Patton for their tender loving care in Bill’s final months.
A service to honor Bill’s life will be held in the spring when flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing. Ice cream will be served!
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Blue Ridge Conservancy, P.O. Box 568, Boone, NC 28607, Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Ln., Winston-Salem, NC 27103, or a charity of your choice. Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is assisting the family of Mr. Edwards.
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Bill Dunn
Bill was a calm and thoughtful leader as well as the founder of Wachovia's International Department. He revealed that all the records were kept in a desk drawer while woking out of the Wilmington office. He was always kind and willing to share advice on the activities on international banking.
I could not have had a nicer mentor welcoming me to Wachovia's International Dept.
With sadness while wishing all the best to his family, Bill Dunn
Jerry Ayers
I had the good opportunity to work closely with Bill during a time when he was living in Kuwait and working with the Bank of Kuwait of the Middle East (BKME). We shared an apartment for over a month, complete with a housekeeper and cook. He was such a gentleman, funny and thoughtful. Driving to work each morning through the roundabouts packed with dinged and dented vehicles blaring horns, Bill said the key was to never make eye contact with the other drivers as he whirled through the melee. On a day off he drove us out to the desert and the border with Iraq where a few years later the invasion of Kuwait began. He was an ambassador of goodwill to the host country and everyone we worked with during my stay there. I'll always remember his kindness and willingness to share. He was an outstanding Wachovian.