Mary Ellen Johnson Edwards, 82, of Youngsville, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on Thursday May 21, 2026, at the John and Orpha Blair Hospice House in Warren, Pennsylvania.

Born April 29, 1944, in Corry, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of Marian Douglass Swart and Leon Johnson. Growing up on Picadili Hill, she graduated from Corry High School in 1962, and continued her education at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she prepared for a vocation in elementary education.

On January 29, 1966, she married her high school sweetheart, John Edwards, also of Corry. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, a milestone that reflected a lifetime of devotion to one another. Mary Ellen spent her professional life in Youngsville, working for the Warren County School District, where she taught first grade at Youngsville Elementary School for 35 years. It was a role she embraced wholeheartedly. For decades, she welcomed young learners into their very first classroom experience, offering patience, encouragement, and the gentle assurance that they were capable. First grade teachers help shape a child’s mind at its most tender age, and Mary Ellen understood that sacred responsibility.

In her early years, Mary Ellen was a member of the West Springcreek Congregational Church in Corry. After moving to Youngsville, she became a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Youngsville, where she taught Sunday school for many years. Following her retirement, she volunteered at the Youngsville Public Library, continuing her lifelong love of reading and service to the community.

She and her husband shared a passion for camping and travel, exploring much of the United States and creating cherished summer memories with their sons. She loved reading, especially mystery novels, and found joy in tending gardens alongside her husband.

She is survived by her husband of sixty years, John Edwards; her sons, Steven Edwards of Warren, Pennsylvania, and Jeffrey Edwards of Freeland, Maryland; her daughter-in-law, Rachel Hart; and her beloved grandchildren, Nora and Nicholas. She is also survived by her siblings, Thomas Johnson, Constance McCauley, Nan McIntyre, Sally McGinnis, Peggy Howell, Ralph Swart and James Swart.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary Ellen’s memory may be made to Hospice of Warren County, 1 Main Avenue, Warren, PA 16365. The Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home Inc., has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com or through their Facebook page. Burial services will be held privately with family at Westlawn Cemetery in Columbus, Pennsylvania.