Elizabeth Edwards, 85

Elizabeth LaJune Edwards, 85, passed away peacefully July 2, 2026, at her home in Polson.

June was born the daughter of Gayle J. Godfrey and the Rev. Guy G. Godfrey on Feb. 13, 1941, in Waldron, Ark. The family moved to Bell Gardens, Calif., when June was 5 years old, where she attended grade school. June’s family then moved to Alhambra, Calif., where she lived through the years of high school and nursing training.

While attending a youth group at Alhambra Baptist Church, June met Laurens Edwards, her future husband. Laurens and June began going steady during her senior year of high school.

After her graduation from high school, she began her nursing training at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. After three years of training, she graduated with honors and received her nursing degree. She was a practicing RN for many years to come.

Upon June finishing nursing school and Laurens’ graduation from college, they were married on Aug. 11, 1961. They relocated to Polson on Dec. 5, 1965, where June began serving as a pastor’s wife, and further worked for Doctors Deal and O’Halloran for 13 years as a nurse. Many in the community came to know and love June, asking for her as they visited the clinic, remembering her years later.

Around the age of 12, she began her music ministry, where she enjoyed playing piano and organ for her church, and continued her music ministry even until the year that she passed. In addition to playing for churches, she played in places like Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, touching thousands of lives whilst doing what she loved, glorifying God.

Perhaps her happiest achievement was her courtship with Laurens, who, if you asked her, was “the most handsome guy she ever saw.” It wasn't hard to tell that June and Laurens were loving partners for 70 years.

Laurens and June had three children. Their firstborn daughter, Joy, was born in 1962. Their second daughter, Melody, was born in 1965. Their third child, son David, was born in 1970.

In 1978, June, Laurens and family moved to Fortuna, Calif., where June continued in pastor’s wife ministries. June was leading women’s ministries, choir and music, and teaching Sunday school and Awana.

They moved to Santa Rosa in 1983, where they built a large mini storage and multiple houses and served in Santa Rosa Bible Church for 25 years. June continued to serve as a pianist and organist and led the women’s ministries and Sunday school.

She developed her music ministry in Santa Rosa, designing programs and volunteering to play whenever needed. She enjoyed teaching piano, cooking and baking with the grandkids throughout the years, prioritizing quality time with her family.

June enjoyed traveling with Laurens on Amtrak every chance they could. You might even catch her riding the rails with Laurens on a speeder car across America and even as far as Canada and Mexico. They traveled more than 30,000 miles over the years on the rails riding speeders.

In 1999, June and Laurens purchased their cabin on Skidoo Bay of Flathead Lake, where they could enjoy the lake and catch the sunset every night. While at the cabin, June explored her growing interest in researching family history and genealogy connected to her relatives Meriweather Lewis from Lewis and Clark and Mary Todd, the wife of Abraham Lincoln.

June especially loved to plant flowers all around the cabin and watch the birds out on their deck. Working with her hands in the garden was pure delight. She loved to learn about different plants and flowers. If you couldn’t find her in the kitchen or at the piano, just look outside in the garden. She would no doubt have her hands in the roses!

In 2024, June and Laurens permanently moved to the cabin on Flathead Lake, where June remained until her passing.

June is survived by her beloved husband, Laurens Edwards; her children, Joy (Ralph) Grassi, Melody (late husband Willie) Williams and David (Naomi) Edwards; her grandchildren, Lauren (Adam) Werner, Daniel Williams, Benjamin (Skky) Williams, Samuel Edwards, Jaylee Edwards, Corrianna Edwards, Liberty Edwards, David Edwards and Phelper Edwards; and her sisters, BettiSue (Jodie) Perkins and Theresa (Tom) Paschall.

June was preceded in death by her parents, mother Gayle J. Godfrey and father, the Rev. Guy G. Godfrey.

A celebration of June’s life was held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Polson. She was laid to rest at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson.

To share a condolence please visit lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com. Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.