Dr. George Edgar Eddins Jr., beloved father, physician and volunteer, passed away at age 90 on April 4, 2012. Born Oct. 23, 1921 in Elmhurst, N.Y., Dr. Eddins was the son of the late Daisy Outlaw Eddins and George Edgar Eddins Sr. He grew up in Jackson Heights, N.Y. and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1942, where he was president of the Euzelian Literary Society, a member of the varsity track team and the Kappa Alpha fraternity.
He received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College and pursued postgraduate work in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
A veteran, he served for more than five years as a lieutenant j.g. with the U.S. Navy. While attending Cornell, he developed an interest in skiing and after a two-year “courtship on skis,” married Elizabeth Matt Eddins, with whom he shared a 50-year marriage.
Dr. Eddins began his medical practice in Albemarle in 1951 and established one of the earliest coronary care units at Stanly County Hospital. He was instrumental in originating the Stanly County Unit of the American Heart Association and served as medical advisor to the local American Cancer Society for more than 40 years. He received the Good Citizenship Recognition Award for outstanding civic service from the Albemarle Civitans and gave countless hours of service to other community organizations, including Meals on Wheels, the Association for Retarded Citizens and Metrolina Association for the Blind. He provided horseback riding and day camp activities at his farm for many children with disabilities over the years. In the 1960s, he and his wife donated a 45-acre farm to the Girl Scouts to create Camp Tarheelia.
A member of the First Baptist Church and of the Saints Sunday school class, he taught Sunday school for a number of years and was in charge of an outreach program for sick and bereaved members of the church and community. He gave seminars and workshops for Stanly Community College for several decades and in 1992, was designated the first ambassador of the college. He initiated the establishment of an endowed scholarship program at the college to generate a continuous source of funds for students. In 2009, in recognition of his many contributions to the state and community, he was awarded one of North Carolina’s highest civilian honors, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Dr. Eddins is survived by his three children; Elizabeth Eddins Laughridge (W.J. Laughridge) of Campobello, George Edgar Eddins III of Charlotte, N.C. and Barbara Eddins Little of Concord, N.C. Also surviving him are eight grandchildren, Christopher Michael Laughridge, Meredith Laughridge Cross, Matthew Davis Laughridge, Elizabeth Little Gaul, Paige Catherine Johnson, Buell Lothery Little, III, Devi Anna Eddins, Ravi Edward Eddins, and one great grandchild, Caroline Elizabeth Gaul.
He was predeceased by his wife, a sister, Ella Eddins Glasson, and a grandson, George Edgar Eddins IV.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will be on Monday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, Albemarle, N.C. Rev. Harold McDonald will officiate and the burial will be in Palmerville Cemetery, Badin. Military honors will be conducted by Stanly County, DAV, Chapter 12.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Stanly Community College Foundation, 141 College Drive, Albemarle, N.C. 28001 or Wake Forest University, Eddins Family Scholarship, P.O. Box 7227, Reynolda Station, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the family.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com.