Obituary of Colonel Lowell Rausch Edwards, USAF,

Lowell Rausch Edwards, 85, of Colorado Springs passed away Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Born in Columbus, Ohio his family moved to Miami, Florida when he was fifteen. After graduating from Andrew Jackson High School with the class of 1949, he attended the University of Florida and upon graduation was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. Shortly after, he married his wife of sixty-three years, Betty Carlile.Together their family grew through a diverse service career that included a combat tour in Vietnam with 241 combat missions, overseas orders in England and Belgium, Pentagon staff in Washington D.C., and Comptroller and Deputy Commander of Resource Management at Ellsworth AFB. Colorado Springs became their last set of orders from the USAF at the Air Force Academy as Deputy Chief of Staff of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. Completing those orders, Colonel Lowell Edwards and Betty chose to remain here in Colorado Springs making it their home for the next thirty-eight years. His highly decorated flight career as a command pilot in the United States Air Force spanned twenty-six years of distinguished military service and included being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star. While residing in Colorado Springs following retirement, Lowell served as President of the Board of Directors at the Air Academy Federal Credit Union, on the Board of Directors of the Raven Hills HOA, as well as a member of several professional and service organizations. Through it all, Lowell remained a devoted husband and family man who loved his family deeply. He was a courageous man, not only in aerial combat, but in his battle against Parkinson's. He was never one to complain, always thinking of family and others first, and always generous to a fault. Lowell was a thoughtful, intelligent man who made sure his family knew how proud he was of them in an empowering way. He was always interested in every detail of their life, often asking challenging questions that made you think. He had an uncommon wit and humor that made him a delight to know and spend time with. He was a true Officer and Gentleman in the finest sense of the words.He is survived by his wife, Betty; two daughters, Sharon Moore and her husband Kevin of Wolf Creek, Montana, and Sandy Mingonet and her husband Chuck of Colorado Springs, Colorado; one son, Doug Edwards and his wife Gina of Eugene, Oregon; four grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Visitation, 5:00PM-6:30PM, Monday, May 7, 2018, The Springs Funeral Services-North, 6575 Oakwood Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80923.Funeral Service, 2:00PM, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, First United Methodist Church, 420 North Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.Memorial donations may be made in Lowell's memory to the FUMC, Missions (http://www.fumc-cs.org/give) or the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado (http://ht-colorado.org). Events Visitation Monday, May 7, 2018 5:00PM - 6:30PM The Springs Funeral Services - North 6575 Oakwood Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80923 Phone: 719-207-8611 Funeral Service Tuesday, May 8, 2018 2:00PM First United Methodist Church 420 North Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-884-2500