Robert William Edwards, 84, of Bloomington passed away in his sleep at 8 am Sunday (June 8, 2014) at his home from an apparent seizure.

Bob was born on February 16, 1930 in Champaign, ll., to Harold Mortimer and Marian Bell Scarlett Edwards. He married Gwendolyn Combs Tyner on January 30, 1954. They celebrated 60 years of marriage this year.

Growing up in Champaign, he attended Dr. Howard Elementary School, and both Champaign Junior and Senior High Schools.

Bob lettered in wrestling and golf in high school and went on to attend the University of Illinois, joining Beta Theta Pi fraternity and graduating with honors in Architecture in 1953. At the end of his junior year, Bob joined the Army Corps of Engineers and upon graduation, after short stations in Camp Carson, Colorado and Fort Belvoir, Virginia he was sent by troop ship to South Korea to help with post-war reconstruction for 10 months. He and Gwen were married just a few months prior to his departure.

When he returned from Korea, Bob joined Berger and Kelley Architects and Engineers for two years, supervising school construction in Mattoon, Il., where he and Gwen welcomed their first son, Mark. After moving back to Champaign, Bob received his architectural license in 1957 and in January of 1958 entered into an architectural partnership with Donald Laz. . As the Laz and Edwards firm grew, Russel A. Dankert, Architectural Engineer, joined them as partner in 1963. During these years, the firm grew from 4 to 12 people, Bob and his family were members of the Champaign Country Club and of the First Presbyterian Church in Champaign.