Carolyn "Nana" Edwards

Friends will be gathering on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel at 10:00 a.m. for a brief prayer service before burial at Highland Cemetery.Carolyn Joan Nana (Mohnsen) Edwards was born in Luck, Wisconsin on May 9, 1933. She was raised by her parents, Arthur Christian Mohnsen and Betty Marie Mohnsen. She was one of five children. Unfortunately all her brothers passed away just days after they were born due to having holes in their hearts. Two of the brothers were born before Nana and two after Nana. One memory Nana remembered as a little girl was, she was swinging on the swing in the yard and looking down into the basement as her dad, Bubba, built the little caskets for her brothers. She grew up as an only child.Growing up Nana used to ask her dad often for a nickel so she could go get ice cream cones. Her father made violins, and she always kept one hung on her wall in her bedroom. Her dad also was a piano tuner by trade and she learned to play and love the piano.In her 20's, she worked at a publishing house in Minnesota. She was very good at drawing, something she did often when she was younger.She married Martin Lewis Sondergaard and eventually moved to California. They later divorced. Nanas folks moved out to Fresno as well. For a short time she was a beautician. She gave birth to her two children, Steve and Kris. On September 9, 1967, she married her wonderful husband James Earl Edwards. James selflessly cared for her and her children. He afforded her the opportunity to be a stay at home mom as he worked at the post office.A fond memory was when Nana and Jim bought a new bed set and her children, Steve and Kris drilled holes in the backside of the new nightstand; Nana cried on that one. Those crazy kids also blew fire crackers off in the bathroom in the middle of the night, just being goofy!! One time, Krissy left her coloring book and crayons in the back window of Jim's brand new 1968 Buick Riviera and they melted all over.Nana always canned peaches and apricots before the family vacations. Every summer, she and Jim took the kids to Disneyland, Santa Cruz, and Knotts Berry Farm. Then Nanas first grandbaby came along, Kari. Nana and Jim cared for Kari in the summer time and after school. They kept the tradition of the summer vacations to Santa Cruz or Disneyland. Nana loved Santa Cruz, she loved walking on the boardwalk and the pier, and having lunch at Gilda's. She loved to watch grandpa and Kari rode the log ride, after they all ate pizza.She loved to bake and always had homemade cookies in the freezer, something her mom did as well. She was very good at sewing, because she had to alter her clothes since she was petite. Nana was always on some health food kick and she walked on her treadmill daily. At one time she was making her own ketchup to cut down on sugar, but the whole house stunk like vinegar.In 2008, the whole family moved to Montana. Nana liked it, as it was important to be with her family. The first time she ate at El Comedor, Nana brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she LOVED peanut butter. She'd always sit with her grandson Mark and be so interested in his toys, as he proudly showed them off. She always took interest in all of us. She loved to rub her grandchildren Tristan and Traces hair. She had a soft touch, was kind hearted and gentle. Grandchildren Tristan would always go up to Nana and give her a hug and say, I love you! Nanas favorite color was red. She was fond of the word nostalgia or nostalgic. She enjoyed to see things that took her back in time, antique shopping was a fun past time.Nana was a wife, mom, mother-in-law, grandma, and great grandma. She loved being all these. She was most proud of her family. She prayed fervently for her family, friends, and the world. God was the head of her life, she read the Bible daily, prayed, and lived the life God desires us to live.Growing up as a child Nana was often ostracized because of the way she looked, she was told that she looked Jewish. She countlessly told people, No, no, Im not Jewish. From this experience she felt it was Gods way of saying to care for Jewish people. It was very important for her to help Jewish people, so she regularly gave to organizations like Jews for Jesus.Nana was meek, joyful, and patient; basically all the fruits of the spirit. Her favorite verse was 2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. She'd tend to get nervous and a little scared. This verse was comforting to her.She was pleasant to be around, always made you feel important and welcomed. She was a blessing as a mother-in-law, you always knew you were loved and accepted as one of the family. We all called her Nana.Nana is survived by her husband, James Earl Edwards; two children, Steven Von Sondergaard (Dana) and Kris Marie Sigle (Gregory); grandchildren Kari Marie Aguayo (Jesse), Mark Carson Sondergaard, Kristina Serrano (Kris), Thomas Sigle (Kristina); and great-grandchildren, Tristan, Trace, Jordyn, and Mason.She was preceded in death by her parents and her four brothers.