Constance Rebecca Edwards, 80, of Lebanon, Oregon, passed away Saturday,  October 16.

Connie was born in Portland, Oregon, to Daniel Arthur Graham, Sr. and Elsie Mae Saxton Graham. She grew up in Vernonia and graduated from Vernonia High School.

Connie married William Franklin Edwards on October 5, 1959, in McMinnville, Oregon. She has five surviving children: Tammy (Charles) Hendrix of Gardner, Kansas; William Edwards of Lebanon, Oregon; Pamela Edwards of Lebanon, Oregon; Dourthea (Perry) Mason; and Denise (Lawrence) Pavone. Connie and Bill lived in Sweet Home, Oregon, until 1965, when they bought a 20-acre farm with a 100+ old house and moved to Lebanon, Oregon. She and Bill lived there until Bill's death in 1984. After that, Connie sold the family farm to her son, Bill, and moved with Pam to Albany, Oregon. Connie worked at several different jobs throughout her marriage, including as a framer at a mobile home factory, and in 1976, helped frame the mobile home they bought to replace the old house. In her last job, she worked at Take-a-Ticket with Pam and retired in 2005.

Connie had many hobbies. She loved all kinds of crafts and took on a variety of projects that she gifted to family members and friends. Connie loved her large family and enjoyed grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a generous woman and had a heart of gold, but didn't like people making a big deal over her.

Connie had six siblings, five of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by her youngest brother, Dennis (or Nick as he was known to family) (Mary) Graham of Coquille, Oregon. She's also survived by 9 grandchildren and several great grandchildren. She never remarried and enjoyed close relationships with many of her husband's family members until her death.

A celebration of life is planned for late spring or early summer next year because she loved that time of year when the sun was out and the flowers were blooming.

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Her ashes will be buried on top of Bill  in his plot at Oddfellows Cemetery in Lebanon, Oregon. (www.aasum-dufour.com).