Lela May Eubanks Edmondson was born August 15, 1934 to James "Earl" Eubanks and Charlottia "Lottie" (Cox) Eubanks on a small farm near Exeter, Missouri. She went to join the Lord on May 5, 2022.

Lela was baptized and accepted Christ in a cold creek at West Union Church of Christ near Diamond, Missouri in her teens. In 1941, the family moved to a farm near Ritchie, Missouri where she attended elementary school. She spent the first 3 years of high school in Diamond, Missouri. Much to her dismay, she had to switch high schools her senior year due to a redistricting. Little did she know that she would meet her spouse at Midway High School. Ben and Lela were born 4 miles apart, in the same year, but would not meet until 1951. After switching schools, they began to date mid-school year and graduated together with the Class of 1952.

In August of 1952 Lela enrolled at Southwest Missouri State College (now Missouri State University), in Springfield, Missouri. Being a very determined student, she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education in just three years. In 1955, she married Bennie "Ben" Edmondson on Good Friday, while he was on a weekend pass from the Air Force. After graduation, they moved to Denver, Colorado where Ben was in the United States Air Force and stationed at the Finance Office of the new Air Force Academy in Denver, Colorado. It was there that Lela took her first position as a third-grade teacher in Aurora, Colorado. It was the start of her dream of being a teacher. Over the next years Lela, following Ben in his career, taught elementary grades or supervised the school libraries in Denver, Colorado; Aurora, Colorado; Springfield, Missouri; Durango, Colorado; and Warrensburg, Missouri. Lela also enjoyed teaching cooking and crafts during summer school in Warrensburg. After 42 years of teaching, her career culminated with retirement from Warrensburg Schools in 1999. Lela always stated that she had "loved every minute and every student".

Along the way her two sons, Thomas "Tom" and Terrance "Terry" were born in Durango and grew up in Warrensburg.

Lela is preceded in death by parents; her brothers J.E. Eubanks and Loren Eubanks; and her sister Ruth (Eubanks) Pollock.

Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Ben; her son Tom Edmondson, his wife Lori, and their children, Jonathan, his wife Bailey, and Julia; her son Terry Edmondson, his wife Christina, and their children MaKayla and Keirston; her sister Martha (Eubanks) Mitzel, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Services will be at Northside Christian Church, Warrensburg, Missouri on Thursday, May 12 beginning at 11:00 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10:00. Burial will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville, Missouri.