In A Flash

Governor’s mother, Dora Jean Edwards, dies at 87

By: - January 20, 2023 2:31 pm

Dora Jean Edwards, the mother of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and matriarch of a Tangipahoa Parish family rooted deep in politics, died Friday morning. She was 87.

The governor announced her death in a statement:

“It is with a heavy heart that I share that my mother, Dora Jean Edwards, has passed away,” Edwards said in the statement. “She was the matriarch of our family and, along with my late father Frank, the reason why I am the person I am today.”

“She raised eight children, worked for many years as a Charity Hospital nurse, taught Catechism, and made the best red beans and rice.” the governor added.

Funeral details have not yet been made available.

Dora Jean Edwards was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, former Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Frank Edwards Jr., and their son, Chris, who died in an auto accident in 2011.

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Louisiana Illuminator
Louisiana Illuminator

The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized.

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