The conservative movement this week lost an elder statesman, its dean. He was Lee Edwards, 92 years old. Edwards was so very important and dear to both the conservative movement and to me personally. In fact, I’ve dreaded writing this tribute because I feared it would take me thousands of words to adequately express his impact. I’ll try to be concise. I can almost hear Lee urging me to do just that, smiling and pleading, “Please, Paul. Please be brief.”
Years ago, Lee Edwards was bestowed the title “Distinguished Fellow in Conservative Thought” by the Heritage Foundation. When I first heard that, I laughed appreciatively. No one better deserved the title.
As we said goodbye, the devout Catholic shook my hand and said, “I’ll see you again, my friend, on the other side.”
Lee had many titles and impressive credentials and rich experiences, too many to list here. Among them, he was particularly proud of the title of Distinguished Lecturer at the Catholic University of America, where he taught for decades. He wrote 25 books, on subjects like conservatism, communism, the Cold War, Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, Jr. His was literally the first biography of Ronald Reagan, published in early 1967, mere months into Governor Reagan’s first term.
Regarding his biography of Goldwater, Lee told me last August: “I feel it was my most important work, and the work I put the most time into.” He said that humbly, regretting that the book didn’t get the recognition it deserved. Lee made that observation as I noticed the book stacked on the floor of his Arlington apartment among piles of other works. I confessed to him, “I’m sorry, but I had no idea that you had written a biography of Goldwater.” When I got back to Grove City College, I immediately checked out the book. It’s indeed a significant contribution.
That was true of so much of Lee Edwards’ work, including his founding of the tremendous organization, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, which is now in the good hands of its president and CEO, Dr. Eric Patterson, and its chair and founding director of the accompanying museum, Dr. Elizabeth Spalding. Elizabeth is one of two lovely daughters of Lee, and a personal and dear friend. She will carry on her father’s legacy.
I worked a lot with Lee Edwards through Victims of Communism, including on a curriculum we did together to teach the horrors of communism to high school students. It was a great honor when the organization in September presented me with the first Lee Edwards Award for Scholarship. I was truly unworthy.
Lee in his final months suffered from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, though he didn’t look it. Elizabeth said that her dad did a good job hiding it. When I saw him in August, the only indication I had seen of any pain was when he suggested we sit down as we talked about his life, work, and when we first met.
We had first met at a coffee shop in Grove City, Pennsylvania in 1999, when he was in town researching his book, Freedom’s College, a history of Grove City College. He had wanted to know about my interest in writing a book on Ronald Reagan and the Cold War. I was in my early 30s and had never published a book before. Lee advised me on what to do and where to find funding to make a research trip to the Reagan Library.
He suggested two names for me to contact, William F. Buckley, Jr. and the late Pittsburgh businessman B. Kenneth Simon. Both men came through with support, thanks to Lee’s endorsement. That book ultimately became the movie Reagan, which ironically was being released that August 2024, as Lee and I spoke.
We also talked that day about Lee’s ongoing writing and (as usual) various historical nuggets about Ronald Reagan and communism that he wanted to ensure ended up preserved in print somewhere. We talked about his next article for The American Spectator. There was still much he wanted to write about. He wanted Eric Patterson and I to know about the location of the recordings of his 1965 interviews with Ronald Reagan at Reagan’s home in California. For this conservative, there was much to be conserved. Lee was all about that.
Prior to the cancer arriving in his early 90s, the man was indefatigable, seemingly ageless. He always looked good. But as he told me at his apartment, eventually time runs out for all of us. At some point, it is time to go.
I last spoke to Lee on the afternoon of September 25 at the Victims of Communism Memorial Museum, when we posed for photos together. As we said goodbye, the devout Catholic shook my hand and said, “I’ll see you again, my friend, on the other side.” I promised I’d pray every day for him and his family and asked him to pray for me when he gets to Heaven — to help ensure I’ll get there someday as well. I need all the help I can get.
Lee Edwards (right) and The American Spectator Editor Paul Kengor (left) Aug. 7, 2024 (Photo courtesy of Paul Kengor)
When I exited the VOC building that afternoon with my wife Susan and Spectator colleague Leonora Cravotta, I caught in the distance a glimpse of Lee getting into his car curbside with a walker. Would it be the last time I saw him? It turns out, yes. It was time to go. He passed on December 12, 2024, joining his elegant, gracious, beloved late wife of 57 years, Anne.
Lee Edwards leaves behind a wonderful legacy: his children, his 11 grandchildren, his memorial to communism’s millions of victims, his books, and his life of truly distinguished conservative thought.
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