Copperopolis, CA…Reverend Royal Wesley Edwards was born in Los Angeles, CA and passed away on March 13, 2020 at the age of 91. Royal was the oldest of 3 children born to Wesley and Hazel Edwards. He grew up mainly in Southern California and attended grammar schools in the Los Angeles area, graduating high school from LAPC, a college prep high school. He then studied Mechanical Engineering at colleges in Riverside and Pasadena. Royal was very involved in his FM Church Youth Group where he met his future wife Vivien. They were married in 1950 in the Hermon neighborhood of LA.

Royal was a veteran of the US Army serving in the Korean War from 1950 – 1952. It was during this time that Royal decided to dedicate his life to ministry. After his military service, Royal and Vivien moved to Washington State where Royal attended Seattle Pacific University and earned his B.A. in Biblical Literature. He then attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Lexington, KY and graduated with his B.D. His Christian faith was a core component of his life and he pastored numerous churches throughout So. CA and AZ over the next 33 years before retiring to Mountain Ranch where Royal built their home, but ultimately settling in Copperopolis, CA.

Royal enjoyed traveling during the evangelistic portion of his career and held services at many churches throughout the US and Canada. Over the years, he and Vivien visited many countries including Europe, Israel, China and performed charitable work in Mexico. Education was important to Royal and for a time he taught Greek at Azusa Pacific College in Glendora, CA and later at Edwards Air Force Base.

Royal loved to sing and liked to listen to his CDs. You couldn’t spend much time with Royal before the subject of exercise and health were part of the conversation. He was an avid runner for many years and researched natural approaches to health. He was fond of shopping at farmer’s markets, vegetable gardening, trains, a good game of chess and was always up for working a puzzle.

Royal is preceded in death by his wife, Vivien Brandt Edwards, father-Wesley G. Edwards and mother-Hazel G. Edwards. He is survived by his 4 daughters, Karen Moffet (Ken), Marlene George, Laurel Williams, Christine Stolt (Steve), his 10 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren as well as his brother, Archie Edwards (Pat), sister, Shirley Peterson and many nieces and nephews.

Many thanks to his caregivers, Marilynn and Peter Encke for their love and support, as well as the Lake Tulloch Bible Church and many in the Copperopolis community.

Burial and a private service at the VFW Memorial in Dixon, CA will be scheduled for a later date.