Sherwood Edwards, former inmate who became educator, dies.

After a troubled early adulthood that included time in prison, Sherwood Edwards enrolled in a program to help the formerly incarcerated and went on to teach sociology at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn for more than two decades.

“I remember him as someone who was passionate about students and extremely generous with his time,” said Joe Brenner, COD’s director of customer experience and support, a longtime colleague. “He was always willing to help.”

Edwards, 89, died of cancer June 25 at his Aurora home, said his wife, Linda.

Born in New York City, Edwards grew up in Matawan, New Jersey. After high school, Edwards worked as a salesman, a machinist and an auto mechanic. He also found himself “in and out of trouble,” his wife said. In fact, Edwards spent a total of about a decade in various prisons in Pennsylvania and New Jersey during his 20s and 30s on charges including assaulting a federal officer.

In 1968, Edwards moved to Illinois and enrolled at the old George Williams College in Downers Grove in a program designed to help those who had been paroled from prison. Edwards’ wife said “he knew that he had to get away from the East Coast and had to get away from bad influences. He wanted to make something out of (his) life.”

President Jimmy Carter in November 1977 pardoned Edwards for the federal crimes of which he had been convicted.

Edwards received a bachelor’s degree in social science from George Williams in 1971. He considered getting a law degree, telling the Tribune in 1971 for a story on formerly incarcerated people going back to school that he wanted to “to help others who found themselves in the predicament I was in.”

“I studied law books while I was in and represented myself,” he said. “I got the label of jailhouse lawyer and I don’t think prison officials like for prisoners to approach them this way. Anyway, it took me a long time to be released.”

Ultimately, Edwards decided against going to law school and took a job at a YMCA on Chicago’s West Side. He also worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections, and as a parole officer, his wife said.

Edwards continued pursuing his education, receiving a master’s degree in administration and organizational behavior from George Williams in 1975. Edwards authored a play called “No Final Victory,” which was staged at George Williams College in 1976.

Edwards later earned a doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University in 2005.

“What stands out to me about Sherwood is his deep caring — he was strong and a large man, but inside he was truly caring,” said Judi Strauss-Lipkin, a longtime friend. “I love how he developed and took advice and wanted deeply to become the man and scholar that he will be remembered for.”

Edwards long had shown an interest in teaching. Beginning in 1970, Edwards and a close friend began teaching a class, one afternoon a week, at Argonne National Laboratory, instructing members of the lab’s custodial staff on reading, writing and basic arithmetic. In the mid-1970s, Edwards began teaching at area colleges, starting with Chicago State University. He then taught at Aurora University for about five years in the 1980s, his wife said.

In 1987, Edwards was hired by the College of DuPage, where he taught courses in sociology and research methods. He eventually earned tenure from the school.

Edwards’ curriculum also included teaching criminal justice and providing the latest pedagogy about racial and ethnic minorities, marriage and family, social organization structure and emerging groups, his wife said.

“He really found his calling at COD — teaching and helping students,” Strauss-Lipkin said.

Edwards also was president of College of DuPage’s faculty association and faculty senate from 1999 until 2000.

Edwards retired from full-time teaching in 2009 but he continued teaching part time at COD until 2014, his wife said.

Edwards also spent his retirement years being involved in the Prince Hall Masons, the oldest and largest predominantly Black fraternity in the U.S., and also studying his family history back to slavery, including visiting federal archives in Atlanta.

“Just when I thought I knew Sherwood, he always had a new incredible story about his ancestry research, bowling skills or other life experiences,” Brenner said. “It was always such an enjoyable time working with him.”

Edwards enjoyed bowling and was inducted into the Aurora Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 2006.

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A first marriage ended in divorce. A son, Stirling, died last year. In addition to his wife, Edwards is survived by two daughters, Sherisa Edwards-Franklin and Stephanie Welden; a son, Sherwood; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Services are private.

Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.