Former Paterson Police Officer Dies

James V. Edwards, 78, passed away Thursday at his home in Parsippany.

Edwards was born in Cumberland County, Va. He moved to Paterson in 1940, where he was raised and educated before moving to Parsippany in 1976.

He was a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, serving in the Marine Corps from 1951 until his honorable discharge in 1954.

Edwards went on to serve on the Paterson Police force for 34 years. He retired with the rank of captain in 1995.  He was a member of P.B.A. Local #1, a member of the N.J. Police Honor Legion and the N.J. State Retired Police & Fireman Association, including Passaic County Local #5.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Rockaway.

Survivors include wife Mary; sons Mark and wife Margie of Sparta, Paul and wife Teresa of Belleville, stepsons Randy Shipe and wife Debbie of Broadway, Va., and Danny Shipe and wife Donna of Hinton, Va.; stepdaughters Sharon Balint of Charlottesville, Va. and  Kim Harper and husband Gary of Harrisonburg, Va.; brother J.R. Reedy and wife Betty of Harrisonburg, Va.; sisters Judy Crawford and husband, Melvin also of Harrisonburg, Va., and Gladys Gelisse of Grand Blanc, Mich.; and numerous grandchildren, step-granchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were handled by .

Edwards was interred at East Lawn Cemetery in Harrisonburg, Va.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in his memory to the First Baptist Church of Rockaway, 126 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Dover, N.J. 07801.