Jerry W. Edwards, 68, of Deep River, Wash., died Thursday, April 6, 2006 at his residence.

He was born Dec. 8, 1937, in Vancouver, Wash., to Walter and Catherine (McCarthy) Edwards. He grew up in the Amboy area of rural Clark County where he attended school.

Mr. Edwards married Eva Weatherley Jan. 10, 1959 and established their first home in Woodland, Wash. She survives and lives in Deep River. In 1964, they moved to Naselle, Wash., and then to Deep River in 1981.

Mr. Edwards worked in the woods as a logger for Weyerhaeuser Timber and later was an independent logger. He owned and operated the salmon troller “Bayfield” and fished commercially out of the Port of Ilwaco. He retired in 2004.

He enjoyed being outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping with family and friends and gardening. Family members said that he was everyone’s friend and was always helping others. They said he had a wonderful sense of humor, prided himself on his independent nature and was quite the story teller.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Gary Edwards of Snohomish, Wash.; four daughters and two sons-in-law, Betty and Arthur Carr of Woodland, Mary Edwards and Earnest Smith of San Bernardino, Calif., Becky Hanspord and Kristen Edwards of Deep River; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; three brothers, Earl Edwards of Vancouver, Wash., Ken Edwards of Ocean Park, Wash., and Ron Edwards; and two sisters, Carol Wirkkala of Kalama, Wash., Sharon Keranen of Vancouver .

He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters and one brother.

There will be a viewing from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. today at Penttilas’s Chapel by The Sea in Long Beach, Wash. Graveside service will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Peaceful Hill Cemetery in Naselle.

Memorials may be made to community Hospice, 1036 11th Street, Longview, WA 98632.