Ronnie Claire Edwards (February 9, 1933 – June 14, 2016) was an American actress, best known for playing Corabeth Walton Godsey on the TV series ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...

''.

Early life

Edwards was born and raised in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

, Oklahoma.

Acting career

Edwards acted professionally from 1963 and is best known for the role of the domineering Corabeth Walton Godsey, the wife of storekeeper Ike Godsey played by

Joe Conley Joe Conley (March 3, 1928 – July 7, 2013) was an American actor who played many small roles on television and is most remembered for his role as the storekeeper Ike Godsey in ''The Waltons''. Personal life and career Joe Conley was born in B ...

, in the CBS television series ''

'', created by

Earl Hamner, Jr. Earl Henry Hamner Jr. (July 10, 1923 – March 24, 2016) was an American television writer and producer (sometimes credited as Earl Hamner), best known for his work in the 1970s and 1980s as the creator of two long-running series, ''The Waltons' ...

She played Charlene's mother Ione Frazier on two episodes of CBS's ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS between September 29, 1986 and May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomas ...

''. In 1983, Edwards played Aunt Dolly in Hamner's series ''Boone'', which was cancelled after 10 episodes had aired. She co-starred in the NBC series ''

Sara Sara may refer to: People * Sara (given name), a feminine given name People with the given name * Sara Aboobacker (1936–2023), Indian writer and translator * Sara Ahmed (born 1969), British-Australian writer * Sara Allgood (1880–1950), Ir ...

'' (1985) opposite

Geena Davis Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis (born January 21, 1956) is an American actor. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Davis made her acting debut in the satirical romantic comedy ''Toots ...

. She briefly appeared on an episode of PBS's ''

Antiques Roadshow ''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...

'' (2008) from Dallas, Texas, when she brought in for appraisal a chair formerly owned by

P.T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding with James Anthony Bailey the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He w ...

. She also appeared in the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode " Thine Own Self" and the remake of '' Inherit the Wind'' (1999). In 2008, HBO decided not to air the television series ''

12 Miles of Bad Road ''12 Miles of Bad Road'' is a television show originally created for HBO centered on a Texas matriarch who must reconcile her booming real estate business and immense wealth with the day-to-day struggles of her dysfunctional family life. Cast ...

'', in which Edwards had a role. She subsequently retired from acting. Her work in films included ''

The Dead Pool ''The Dead Pool'' is a 1988 American action-thriller film directed by Buddy Van Horn, written by Steve Sharon, and starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan. It is the fifth and final film in the ''Dirty Harry'' film serie ...

'' (1988).

Other

Edwards was the author of several books, including memoirs published in 2012. In 2000, ''The Knife Thrower's Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target'' was published. She previously had created and performed a one-woman show under the same title, which she took to the

Edinburgh Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...

in 1993. She also co-wrote a musical play ''Idols of the King'' as a tribute to

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

's career, legacy and most passionate fans.

Personal life and death

Edwards restored a 1911 Catholic church on Swiss Avenue in Dallas and made it her home after selling her mansion in Los Angeles to

Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...

bassist

Flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...

in 2008. She died of

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...

in her sleep on June 14, 2016, at age 83.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

*
Edwards, Ronnie Claire (1933–2016)
in the

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is an agency of the government of Oklahoma dedicated to promotion and preservation of Oklahoma's history and its people by collecting, interpreting, and disseminating knowledge and artifacts of Oklahoma. T ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Ronnie Claire 1933 births 2016 deaths Actresses from Oklahoma City American film actresses American television actresses Writers from Oklahoma City 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American memoirists 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American memoirists 21st-century American women writers