Luther C. Edmonds NORFOLK - The Honorable Judge Luther Cornelius Edmonds was born Sept. 4, 1942 in Norfolk. On June 9, 2011, between noon and 1 p.m., he made his transition to heaven. He was a member of First Baptist Church Bute Street. He received his education at Howard University School of Law and was a member of Howard University's Law Journal, and Norfolk State University political science. His honors were: Howard University's Law Journal, recipient of Norfolk State University's Four Year Athletic Scholarship to play football, awarded by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in high education; recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. Luther retired as a circuit court judge in the City of Norfolk and worked as chief judge of the Norfolk General District Court for many years. He was executive director/general counsel for Tidewater Legal Aid Society Inc., Planning and Training coordinator and staff attorney for the Tidewater Legal Aid Society Inc., private practitioner, Washington, D.C., law clerk, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, Washington, D.C., Hearings and Appeals analyst, Department of Health, Education & Welfare Bureau of Hearings and Appeals, Washington, D.C.; attorney/advisor, Department of Health, Education & Welfare Bureau of Hearings and Appeals, Washington, D.C., attorney/advisor, Department of Health, Education & Welfare Office of General Counsel-Maryland; instructor, Norfolk State University Department of Political Science (Constitutional Law), lecturer, Tidewater Community College, social studies teacher, Southampton County Board of Education. Professional affiliations were: past president, Twin City Bar Association, recipient of Award for Outstanding Dedicated Service, 1984 past president of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, past president, Tidewater Area General District Judge Association, past member, Steering Committee to Implement the Virginia State Bar Pro Bono Project, past member, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Beta Lambda Boule, past member, Rotary Club of Norfolk. He was the best husband, father and brother in God's creation. Survivors include his lovely wife, Sherry White-Battle-Edmonds; son, Alexander Battle; and two daughters, Africa Guy and Salisa Thomas; brothers, Melvin and Ray Edmonds; and four sisters, Audrey Rim, Reva Lambert, Marie Harvery and Eva Robinson; 10 precious grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who love him. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 15, at First Baptist Church Bute Street with Dr. Robert G. Murray presiding. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Viewing will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Please send flowers to Graves Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at his home daily from 6 to 9 p.m. Graves Funeral Home Inc. is handling arrangements. Condolences may be offered at www.gravesfuneralhomeinc. com.