Linda Edwards

Linda Diane Young Edwards was born on July 23, 1963, to Kenneth and Shasta Young. Diane was born and raised in Hamlin, Texas, along with her older brother, Allen, and was a lifelong supporter of the Pied Pipers in all that they did. She was also a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Hamlin and, early in her life, accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, serving Him faithfully ever since.

Diane was a graduate of McMurry University, where she earned a degree in Education. On November 17, 1984, she married the love of her life and concert partner, James “Boss” Edwards. Together they welcomed their only son, Kyle, on September 11, 1992.

Diane’s passion was education. She began her career at Hamlin ISD in 1983, teaching kindergarten. Over the course of the next 37 years, she taught five subjects in seven different classrooms, positively impacting the lives of thousands of students. Even after her retirement in 2021, she remained active in the classroom as a substitute teacher.

Diane’s other great love was music. Over the hundreds of concerts she attended, she saw artists ranging from KISS and Peter Frampton to Koe Wetzel and Ella Langley, as well as performances by the Hamlin Marching Green, the World Famous Cowboy Band, and Hairspray, the Broadway musical. Diane traveled the country simply to experience music she loved.

Diane was called home to be with the Lord on February 7, 2026. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edwards; her parents, Kenneth and Shasta Young; and her brother, Allen Young.

Diane was loved by many and will be deeply missed, especially by her son, Kyle Edwards, and his wife Audrey; the Loredo family; the Young family; the Reynolds family; the Payne family; the Propst family; and the DuPra family. In recent years, the lights of her life were the Loredo’s two children, Mackenzie and Matthew.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, February 12, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Adams-Foster-Ray Funeral Home in Hamlin, Texas. Funeral services will take place on Friday, February 13, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Hamlin, Texas, followed by a small graveside service at Hamlin East Cemetery.

In honor of Diane’s love for education and reading, memorials may be made to the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature athttps://www.nccil.org in lieu of flowers.