Fruitland vice president dies
From staff reports
Todd Edmiston, who was recently recognized for 10 years of service to the Baptist State Convention (BSC), died Friday, Feb. 2.
Todd Edmiston
Edmiston, an active member of Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, suffered an apparent heart attack Friday evening and died shortly thereafter, according to pastor Greg Mathis.
BSC executive director Milton A. Hollifield Jr. shared news of Edmiston's death in an e-mail, saying, "Many of us have lost a good friend and one of our greatest advocates for Fruitland."
On Wednesday, he had been recognized during the BSC Board of Directors meeting for 10 years of service to the BSC as an employee of FBBI.
A Catawba College graduate who had a successful background in sales before coming to the school in early 1996, Edmiston served as director of campus services for much of his career, running an excellent campus cafeteria, looking after a host of details, and befriending countless students.
Edmiston had been working to improve his health in recent months and had lost almost 100 pounds in preparation for gastric bypass surgery
In 1996, he was hired at Fruitland to run their food service and bookstore while he earned his divinity degree there.
"For many years we have held associational WMU leadership trainings at Fruitland and Todd was always a gracious host," said Ruby Fulbright, executive director of North Carolina Woman's Missionary Union. Fulbright, along with other North Carolina Baptists expressed their comments on the Biblical Recorder's webblog. "Our women loved to come to Fruitland and they loved Todd. He made us feel welcomed, he made us feel appreciated and he valued our work in missions."
Edmiston was ordained Dec. 3, 2003, and served many churches as an interim and/or supply pastor while continuing to work full time at Fruitland in a number of capacities.
"He was a 'giant' of a man spiritually as well as physically. It was a joy to sit down with him and listen to his words of encouragement and wisdom," said Gayle Brown, who serves on the faculty with Fruitland. "He was loved by students, faculty, and administration of Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute. He loved Fruitland and was a great ambassador for the school as he traveled across the state. He will be missed but always remembered for his dedication to the Lord and to Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute."
Survivors include his mother, Rachel Kepley Edmiston; and a brother, Cantt Edmiston.
A memorial service will be held at Mud Creek Baptist Church in Flat Rock at 1 p.m. Tuesday. A second memorial service will be held at Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church in Kannapolis at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The family will receive friends at his mother's home at 308 Idlewood Drive, Kannapolis, N.C. 28083.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, 1455 Gilliam Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792 or to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231-4596.
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