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Douglas Edwards (1950–2008)

Douglas Edwards, professor of Bible and archaeology at the University of Puget Sound and archaeologist of the Galilee, died on November 22, 2008, after an eight-year battle with bone cancer. He was 58 years old.

Edwards excavated at the city of Sepphoris and led the excavation at Khirbet Kana, 8 miles northwest of Nazareth. His excavations confirmed the site as the location of Biblical Cana, where the Gospel of John says Jesus began his public ministry by turning jars of water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1—11).

Born in Hardy, Nebraska, Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. from Boston University, where he met his wife, Lynn. He took a job in 1987 at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where he taught classes in Old and New Testament, as well as ancient Near East religions and archaeology.

Edwards continued to travel, dig and pursue his singing hobby even through harsh cancer treatments. In 2008, unable to make the trip to Israel, he directed the excavations at Khirbet Kana via teleconference.