John R. Edwards (US Marshal)

John Robert Edwards was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont in 1942, the son of Roland E. Edwards and Ursula Jane (Brosnan) Edwards.^[1][2][3] He was raised and educated in Bellows Falls and Saxtons River and graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1960.^[4] After high school, Edwards served in the United States Navy for three years.^[5] After training as a radarman, he served aboard USS Spiegel Grove.^[6] Following his active duty military service, Edwards continued to serve in the United States Navy Reserve.^[7]

In 1966, Edwards married Linda Mary Lacoste; they were the parents of two children, and she died in 1981.^[8][9] In 1987, he married Deanna Mary (Considine) Fuller, the mother of four children with her first husband, who died in 1984.^[3][10]

After his Navy service, Edwards joined the Vermont State Police (VSP).^[11] In 1973, he received an associate's degree in criminal justice from Castleton State College, and he received his bachelor's degree from Castleton in 1975.^[12][13] He remained with the VSP until 1992 and retired as a lieutenant.^[7][14] As he worked through the ranks, Edwards' postings included supervisor of the St. Albans barracks and supervisor of detectives for northwestern Vermont.^[15]

After retiring, he resided in Swanton, served on the Missisquoi School Board, and operated a private investigation firm, JRE Investigations.^[7][14] A Republican, in 1994, Edwards was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives; he was reelected in 1996 and 1998, and served from 1997 to 2001.^[16] Edwards was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 2000, with his defeat attributed to backlash over his support for Vermont's Civil Unions law.^[17]

In January 2001, Republican George W. Bush became president and US Senator Jim Jeffords recommended Edwards for appointment as US Marshal for the District of Vermont.^[15] The nomination was delayed after Jeffords left the Republican Party in May 2001 and became an independent.^[18] Bush made the nomination in early 2002, and Edwards was confirmed in March.^[19] Edwards served until 2009 and was succeeded by David Demag.^[20]