William Gaither Edney, 86, died Sunday May 27, 2012 at Kings Mountain Hospice House. A native of Henderson County he was the son of the late Plato and Marjorie Hill Edney. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by two sisters, Ethel Humphries and Lucille Edney.  Mr. Edney was a member of First Baptist Church and attended the Chris White Sunday School class. He was a member in the Cleveland Masonic Lodge #202 and former member of the Shelby Lions club. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII on the destroyer escort 

The USS Joseph E. Campbell in both the Atlantic and Pacific. Mr. Edney worked at Hudson Hosiery which became Chadbourn and finished his working career by retiring from FASCO as a supervisor.

Mr. Edney is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Fidelia Sparks Edney; daughter, Debbie Edney of Greensboro; sister, Evelyn McQueen of Simpsonville SC; sister in laws and brother in laws, Amy and Robert Spangler and Faye and Carl Spangler of Shelby; and numerous loving nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday May 30, 2012 at 2:00pm in the Webb Chapel of First Baptist Church with the Rev. Tony Tench officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00pm prior to the service in the Webb Chapel.

Memorials can be made to First Baptist Church, 120 N. Lafayette St., Shelby, North Carolina 28150

Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family of Mr. Edney.