Sylvia Tatum Edwards, age 85, of Lumberton, NC, passed away Thursday, February 15, 2024, at UNC Health Southeastern in Lumberton, NC, surrounded by her family. She was born in Bladenboro, NC on December 6, 1938 to the late Norman Langston Tatum & Addie Lee Singletary Tatum.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Charles Tatum, and her sister, Bobbie Tatum Adkins.

She graduated from Bladenboro High School in 1957, having received the General Excellency Award. Following high school, she earned a business degree from Selenia Commercial College. In 1958, she married her lifelong classmate, Harmon "H.J." Edwards. Together they had two children, Sharon and Julia.

Sylvia went on to become a legal assistant for the law firms of Wm. E. Timberlake and McLean, Stacy, Henry & McLean for 37 years. She later retired from University of North Carolina at Pembroke with 24 years of service.

She was a member of First Baptist Church, Lumberton most of her adult life, where she was involved in teaching 6th grade girls the importance of missions for thirty-plus years, worked with the Junior Department in Sunday School, worked with children in Training Union, and was President of the Susan Welsh Sunday School Class.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Harmon "H.J." Edwards; her children, Sharon Edwards Prevatte (Edmund) of Lumberton, NC and Julia Edwards Kinlaw (Mark) of Stokesdale, NC; four grandchildren: Edmund Maurice Prevatte III (Megan) of Newnan, GA, Christopher Prevatte of Ocean Isle Beach, NC, Tatum Kinlaw of Metairie, LA, and Ellen Kinlaw of Stokesdale, NC; two great-grandchildren, Zachary Prevatte and Benjamin Prevatte, both of Newnan, GA; and her brother, Norman Leroy Tatum of Bladenboro, NC.

The family will receive friends and loved ones prior to the service on Sunday, February 18, 2024, from 1:00-2:00 PM at First Baptist Church, 606 N. Walnut Street in Lumberton, NC. Following the visitation, a funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM with Dr. David Elks and Rev. Josh Owens officiating. Burial will follow at Singletary Cemetery (Butters Cemetery), 499 Butters Cemetery Road in Butters, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: First Baptist Church, 606 N. Walnut Street, Lumberton, NC 28358.