HANSVILLE — When Chuck Edwards retired from his career at Chevron after nearly 40 years and settled down in Hansville in 1983, he immediately jumped into another type of work — volunteering to make his community better.

Edwards died last Thursday at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. He was 80.

Known for his active participation in the north end, the Hansville man was a motivator to get things done for the community, said Red Denson, a close friend and fellow member of the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue Board of Commissioners.

“I was always impressed with his commitment to the fire district,” Denson said. “Not only to the employees themselves — he was very dedicated to the employees — but also to the community.”

When Edwards and his wife, Virginia, settled down after his retirement, he became extremely involved with the community as a volunteer, Denson said.

“No job was too large or too small for Chuck Edwards to get himself involved in,” he explained.

Besides serving 14 years as a commissioner for the local fire districts, Edwards was a guiding force in building the new Hansville Community Center and starting a recycling program in the Point No Point community. He was also an active member of Poulsbo/North Kitsap Rotary Club and a long standing member of the Hansville Koffee Klatch.

“He was always a willing participant in whatever projects Koffee Klatch took on,” Denson said, such work included rebuilding fences, cleaning the cemetery and building the observation platforms at Buck Lake Park.

Kitsap County Commissioner Chris Endresen said she admired Edwards for his sensibility.

“His slow and steady and wise counsel — that’s what I’ll miss the most,” she said.

Endresen met Edwards when she

started in county politics and was a fellow Rotary member with him. She said he also he played an instrumental part in obtaining the Point No Point Lighthouse from the Coast Guard to make it into a public park.

“He was just wonderful and always thinking about somebody else and something positive to do,” Endresen remarked.

NKF&R Fire Chief Paul Nichol said Edwards was a valuable part of the board of commissioners for the district.

“He’s been a real valuable asset after the (fire district merger),” Nichol said, noting that Edwards had an attentive ear to both sides of any issue.

“He has been a huge supporter of fire service and an excellent voice for the people,” said Gillian Gregory, Chief Commissioner for the fire district’s board. Edwards was representative of the people and their issues, he added.

“His life experiences brought great wisdom to the board,” Gregory said.

A memorial service will be held Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. at the Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church on Bainbridge Island.