Robert Edwin Gadsden, the third of five children, was born May 31, 1937 in Russellville, SC to the late Reverend Abraham and Rhoda Boyd Gadsden. Robert, or Ed, as he was affectionately called was educated at JK Gourdin Elementary School and graduated from Burke High School, Charleston, SC in 1955. He graduated from Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pure Mathmatics. He did further studies at Chicago Teacher College. He also served in the United States Army. Ed taught school for many years in Chicago before retiring and returning to South Carolina to live. At an early age, Ed accepted Christ as his personal Savior and spent many years traveling throughout the Synod as his father pastored. His love for His Savior caused him to become a faithful Christian, who willingly did whatever he could to help promote the programs his church had. He was a member in good standing of Redeemer Reformed Episcopal Church, where he was active with the men of the church, served as Assistant Sunday School Teacher for Adult Class #3, a member of the Easter Program Committee and was a faithful Watchman for the New Year Eve's Watch Night Services. Ed was a brother and served many years as treasurer of the Kappa Phi Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. All that could be done was done to prolong Ed's life but the Lord had need of him in glory, so on Wednesday, January 7, 2015, the death angel visited MUSC and bore the bright spirit of Ed away to a land free of sickness, sorrow, pain, and death. It was God's will the he should go, Ed realized that, and was not alarmed at the thought of dying. We thank God for having been allowed to know and love Ed. We imagine Ed saying "If I must die, O let me die in peace with all mankind, and change these fleeting joys below, for pleasure more refined." Many friends and relatives are left to mourn his death and celebrate his life. He leaves two sisters: Mrs. Esther Branson and Dr. Vivian Gadsden; one sister-in-law, Mrs. Margie Gadsden; two brothers-in-law, Theodis Brown and Louis Branson; many nieces, nephews, cousins, devoted caregivers; Bernice Gissentaner and Ollie Johnson; fraternity brothers, church members, classmates, neighbors, and friends. The family would like to make a special thanks to Mrs. Sadie Gadsden, Ms. Alvalene Rogers and Mrs. Shantell Rogers for all they did for Ed during his illness.