Sarah J Edwards entered eternal rest on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. She was born in Laurens, South Carolina on November 15, 1934, to the late Willie Mae and Eugene Johnson, Sr.

She moved to Knoxville at an early age and met her life partner of sixty-four years, the late Robert Lee Edwards, Sr. They united in holy matrimony on September 28, 1951. Together, they raised six children.

For many years Sarah was a faithful member of Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church. In 2008, she joined Mother Love Baptist Church and immediately became an active and dedicated member until her health failed in the summer of 2025.

Mama Sarah as she was affectionately called, was a very loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was a phenomenal Family Manager for seventy-three years. Baking for family and friends was truly her “love language.”

In addition to her loving husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her sons, Robert Jr., and Efrem, Sr.; a cherished granddaughter Nikia Thompson; sisters Frances Hunter, Racheal Shumpert, and Lucy Sherman; brothers William, Frank Sr., Eugene Jr., Richard and Thomas Johnson. 

She leaves to cherish her memory, daughters the Reverend Mitchelyn Thompson, Glaydean and Toni Edwards; son Malcolm T. Edwards, Sr.; brother Willie (Fredda) Johnson; sisters Beatrice Sturghill and Clara Bryd; grandchildren Chris, Brenda, Travis, Shawanna, Latisha, Shenaya, Kasara, Kiyoshi, Efrem Jr., Brandon, Jamel, Robert lll, Ashleigh, Brittney, Sidney, Thomas, Austin and Caleb; a host of great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; devoted family friends Sammie Bankston and Steven Thomas.