Calling hours set for Lee Edmonds

Calling hours and funeral arrangements have been announced for a Reidsville police officer who died suddenly earlier this week.

Lesley “Lee” Francis Edmonds II, 46, died Wednesday. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

Funeral arrangements have been made for Edmonds. Visitation will be Friday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wilkerson Funeral Home. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Reidsville Christian Church, where Edmonds was a member.

“This is a difficult time for the entire city,” Mayor James K. Festerman said Wednesday. “Lee has so many friends. It’s just a dark day.”

Festerman announced Edmonds’s death during a city council meeting. Not a dry eye could be found prior to this meeting inside city hall or the police station as news of his untimely death spread rapidly.

“This afternoon I have to make a sad announcement no mayor wants to do,” Festerman said in the council meeting. “Lesley Francis Edmonds II expired. We’re asking the community to keep his family and friends in their prayers.”

Councilman William Hairston made a motion that flags in front of the police station and city hall will be lowered to half mast and not be returned to their proper position until sunset on the day of his funeral. The motion passed unanimously.

Festerman spoke fondly of Edmonds in an interview prior to the council meeting. Festerman, having known Edmonds most of his life, said it’s a shock and everyone is saddened at the loss of a dear friend.

Reidsville Police Chief Edd Hunt said in a press release, “Lieutenant Lee Edmonds was an outstanding police officer who has many accomplishments to his credit. He was service-oriented and assisted our citizens in many ways over the years. Lieutenant Edmonds was not only our colleague, he was our dear friend. We will miss him.”

Reidsville City Manager Michael Pearce said, “His abilities and job performance were only overshadowed by his humor and friendliness that made him so well liked, not only by staff but by our citizens. We are all feeling the sad loss.”

Festerman said he had the honor of hiring Edmonds, who had been working at the police station since March 23, 1987. The last position he held at the police station was administrative lieutenant; he served in that role since 2009.

The Reidsville Police Department is distributing black bands to each of its officers. The bands will be worn across their badges marking the passing of Edmonds. Many officers were reportedly gathered at the Edmonds residence Wednesday afternoon.