Former TAB board member Hugh Edmonds dies at 90

Longtime Alabama Baptist Robert Hugh Edmonds, 90, of Centreville died July 26.

Edmonds served on the board of directors for The Alabama Baptist newspaper for a total of 16 years — eight years under editor Hudson Baggett and eight years under editor Bob Terry. He was chairman of the board in 1993 and 1994.

On Oct. 4, 2013, he and his wife of more than 50 years, Margaret Ann, were named honorary lifetime board members of The Alabama Baptist newspaper. They were the first recipients of this honor. A March 5, 2011, resolution by the TAB board noting the end of his tenure as a board member in 2010, expressed gratitude for Edmonds’ service and proclaimed the day “Hugh and Margaret Ann Edmonds Day.”

In a 2004 interview with TAB, Edmonds said he greatly enjoyed the fellowship of working with other Baptists as a member of TAB’s board.

“I love to fellowship with the people on the board,” he said. “It puts me in contact with a lot of people that I otherwise would not know. I love every minute of it.”

‘All-in support’

Jennifer Davis Rash, current editor of The Alabama Baptist, said Edmonds’ enthusiasm for serving on the board and helping spread the word about the work being done captured her attention early in her tenure at TAB.

“Hugh and Margaret Ann were always such an encouragement to all of us serving with The Alabama Baptist,” Rash said. “They rarely, if ever, missed a meeting and would go to great lengths to be present to support the work being done.

“I remember so many conversations with both of them through the years and was touched the day he told me what an honor it was for him to have close friendships with all three of the recent editors — Baggett, Terry and Rash. While his role had changed to honorary lifetime board member by the time I took the editor’s seat, he still counted it an opportunity to support and encourage me like he had done as an active board member with Dr. Baggett and Dr. Terry.”

Another former board member, Jim Oakley, said Edmonds demonstrated this type of “all-in” support and enthusiasm everywhere he served. Oakley has known and lived near the Edmonds family for many years. “He was quite a citizen,” Oakley said.

Edmonds was founder of Edmonds Realty in Brent and a member of Bethel Baptist Church, also in Brent. He is survived by his wife; two sons, Rick and Steve (Andrea); and three grandchildren.