William Troy "Billy" Edwards was born on 27 June 1949 in Guilford, North Carolina, the son of Paul James Edwards (1923-1994) and Thelma Virginia Edwards (1929-2005).  He was a resident of Randolph, North Carolina and was employed in automobile body and related repair work. He died on 13 March 1998 at the Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington, North Carolina.  Cause of death was chronic ischemic heart disease.