Barksdale, Jr., Edwin Joseph

3/12/2006

April 23, 1918 - March 12, 2006

At 5:45 a.m., Sunday, March 12, 2006, Reverend Ed left us to join his loved ones and friends in heaven.
He was born April 23, 1918 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He graduated with a B.A. in History from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. He served as Chaplain at Guadalcanal during World War II. He was pastor of several churches in Louisiana and from 1976 until his retirement in 1986 he was pastor of First United Methodist Church in Covington. In retirement, he continued to minister to members of the community. In May 2003, he was named Pastor Emeritus of the First United Methodist Church, Covington, Louisiana.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mattie Lois Herrod; sister, Edith Van Slyke, and his parents, Mary and Edwin Joseph Barksdale, Sr. He is survived by his son, Donald Edwin and daughter-in-law Dianne; two grandsons, Michael Barksdale and Brent Barksdale, his wife Clara and his great granddaughter Jamie Grace Barksdale.
The Edwin J. Barksdale Memorial fund has been set up at the First United Methodist Church, Covington, Louisiana.
Source: Louisiana Conference Journal, 2006