Shannon Edwards

Shannon Edwards is well-known throughout Sequoyah County as the nurse with a heart.

Edwards, who not only works as a school nurse for Moffett and Brushy Schools, has also spent much of her time sponsoring programs and providing education which teaches students about how to be considerate and respectful towards others, while benefitting from activities and other advantages designed to encourage students along the way.

“I began working as a nurse taking care of several schools in Sequoyah County 24 years ago,” Edwards said.

As a school nurse, Edwards said she took care of students at Belfonte, Brushy, Liberty and Moffett.

“I did that for a couple of years. I also worked for the Sallisaw School system up until recently. Now I’ve condensed my duties to just Brushy and Moffett,” Edwards said.

Edwards said working as a nurse is something she enjoys. “It’s helping kids and families. I enjoy the education aspect of the job I have,” she said, noting she provides education about asthma and holds several CPR training classes for several groups, including the Boys & Girls Club.

“I also have a class I teach about Third Grade Asthma which is available for parents and staff. It just teaches them about asthma and what to do for students with asthma,” she said. Another class she holds is to Stop the Bleeding for Emergencies.

“I deal mainly with scrapes and cuts or other minor aches and pains. Thankfully, we’ve never had a big emergency in all the years I’ve worked as a school nurse,” she said.

For several years, Edwards also worked for Peters Agency Home Health in Sallisaw but decided to leave that position after her 97-year-old mother passed away a few years ago.

“I just wanted to take a deep breath of life and cut back on some of my responsibilities,” she said.

In addition to her nursing duties for the schools, Edwards currently sponsors the SWAT Team (Student Wellness Advocacy Team) for Moffett School which is a group of students she guides to get involved in community service projects.

“We have about 10 in the program. We do such things as lay wreaths for the soldiers at the Fort Smith Veteran’s Cemetery in December. Then we go back and remove them in January. We also participate in the Peer Mentoring Program at the school and other community projects which may come up,” she said.

“In September, Edwards said Moffett School is planning to hold a fundraiser for God’s Pit Crew which came and helped the Moffett community after the flood in 2019. The school and the entire Moffett community suffered devastating damages from the flood at the time.

“God’s Pit Crew spent about $700,000 to help us rebuild the school and this fundraiser is a way for us to give back or pay it forward for all the help they provided,” she said.

“This is our way of giving back to them. We plan to have sponsors for buckets with supplies beginning at $35 a bucket. We also need to raise money for the supplies we’ll need. So far, we’ve raised about $700,” she said.

“We just want to do this and give back to God’s Pit Crew which will be bringing a big long trailer for the fundraiser,” she said.

Edwards was born in Barstow, Calif. She said her step-father worked in construction and the family moved from one location due to his job.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve lived in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon, Illinois and Arkansas,” she said. “When we came to Sallisaw, I was in my junior year. My step-dad promised me we would be here for two years so I could graduate here. Then I met my husband in high school and we were married and I’ve been here ever since.”

Edwards said she enjoys living in Sequoyah County. “It’s quiet and peaceful here. We live north of Muldrow and we just love it there,” she said.

When she finds time, Edwards said she enjoys reading. She and her husband also enjoy traveling to other places together.

Edwards and her husband, Darryl have been married for 35 years. The couple has grown children, a son and a daughter, and three grandchildren.

“I enjoy the work I do and I’ll probably be doing it for a long time,” she said. “I enjoy taking care of people. I just consider myself as a helper. I enjoy helping people.”

Just Folks. Just Folks is Your TIMES way of honoring the regular people of Sequoyah County, recognizing their unique talents, personalities, jobs, abilities, etc. Your TIMES appreciates the cooperation of each Just Folks and the public’s nominations for this feature. If you know of someone you think might be a good story, contact Amie or Lynn at 918-775-4433.