Wanda Fitchjarrell Edwards, 63, of Valdosta, passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at South Georgia Medical Center. She was born on September 16, 1959 in Sumter, South Carolina to Patricia Ray Fitchjarrell and the late John Wesley Fitchjarrell. Mrs. Edwards lived in several places as she grew up, until the family moved to Twin Lakes in the early 1970’s when she was 13 years old. She graduated from Lowndes High School in 1978. Not long after graduating she applied at Lowndes County Sheriffs Office and started working at the jail in 1980. In 1985, Wanda started working as the first, and at the time only, female Road Patrol Deputy in Lowndes County. She worked on Road Patrol until 1992 when she became an investigator with the CID. She worked her way up and became Captain in 2008 and also the lead of the CID until her retirement in December 2015. Wanda had been Officer of the Year for Lowndes County Sheriffs Department. She loved boating and camping at Keaton Beach with friends, and spending time with her nieces, nephews and extended family.
Mrs. Edwards is survived by her husband of 21 years, C. Tod Edwards, of Valdosta; her mother Pat Fitchjarrell, of Douglasville, GA; her brother John Fitchjarrell, Jr. of Marietta, GA; nieces, Emily (and Cory) Eaton, of Rutledge, GA, and Brittany ( and Chris) Carter, of Lake Park; nephew, Jacob Daniels, of Valdosta; niece Jenna Daniels, of Valdosta; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jane and Jason Daniels, of Valdosta; mother-in-law, Sylvia Edwards, of Valdosta; and several great nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her father John Fitchjarrell, brother Jim Fitchjarrell, and father-in-law, Charles Edwards.
A funeral service will be held at 3pm on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at The River Pavilion at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens with Reverend Craig Rickard officiating, and Amy Perry speaking. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1:30-3pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Georgia Sheriffs Boys Ranch, https://www.georgiasheriffsyouth.org/donate/, or First Responder Benefit Association, https://frba.org/donate/
Condolences to the family may be conveyed on the obituary page online at www.mclanecares.com
