Wayne County’s nonprofit community was stunned Sunday night to hear about the death of Debra K. Edelman, an entrepreneur who contributed significant time and money toward health care, safety, education and other causes.
The 93-year-old Richmond resident died Saturday, May 17, while staying at State Dock Marina along Lake Cumberland in Jamestown, Kentucky.
Tornadoes reportedly struck Kentucky on Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17.
Gov. Andy Beshear said 19 people’s deaths were linked to the severe weather, and 10 more people were hospitalized.
In a statement, Russell County Coroner Mark Coots said Edelman’s death was preliminarily attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning from a house boat’s generator.
After Friday night’s power outage, Edelman reportedly asked a dock neighbor on Saturday morning to turn on her generator to restore power, Coots said. When she hadn’t been seen later that day, a concerned person made the tragic discovery shortly before 5 p.m.
Kentucky’s State Medical Examiner’s Office and Department of Fish & Wildlife, along with Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department, Russell County EMS and State Dock personnel, are assisting Coots with investigating Edelman’s death.
Through the years, Edelman and her late husband, Jack, received local and statewide recognition for their gifts of time and money to local organizations. They started Richmond’s Recycling Center in 1974 and also owned related businesses in Ohio. Jack died at age 92 in 2017.
They were both active with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County.
In 2022, while serving as chair of the clubs’ board of trustees, Debra was inducted into the Indiana Boys & Girls Clubs 2020 Hall of Fame.
She joined the local trustees in 2006 and became their president in 2010. Through that role, she oversaw the clubs’ Focused on the Future campaign, growing the endowment from $750,000 in 2013 to more than $2.5 million in 2022.
Debra was part of the clubs’ Lifetime Giving Society, which requires a minimum cumulative contribution of $250,000.
Debra also supported higher education.
In 2024, Ivy Tech Richmond successfully nominated Debra for its Benefactor Award, awarded in Indianapolis through Ivy Tech Foundation. The campus’ Healthcare Education Center, which opened that year, was named after her.
“Debra’s support of Ivy Tech’s mission to bring the highest level of healthcare education experiences is inspirational,” said Chancellor Chad Bolser in a news release at the time.
Some of the Edelmans’ giving paid tribute to their late son, Israel “Izzy,” who died in a 1984 fraternity house fire in Bloomington.
In 2005, the couple pledged $1 million to build a new cardiac care facility for Reid Health’s new hospital in their son’s memory.
According to a news release, that bequest was the second-largest individual gift in the hospital’s history. Debra served on the hospital foundation’s board from 1994-2002 and was its chair in 2000-2001.
Barry MacDowell, who was then Reid’s president, called the couple’s support broad, varied and heartfelt in the release.
The couple also made a key contribution toward a $1.4 million facility intended to save the lives of first responders.
Richmond’s Israel “Izzy” Edelman Fire & Police Training Center opened in 2021. According to the city’s website, the state-of-the-art facility enhances Richmond’s ability to recruit and retain top talent by providing deep training.
Debra earned additional honors through her lifetime.
Eastern Indiana’s Junior Achievement recognized Debra in 2019 as one of its laureates, and Wayne County Foundation honored the couple with the 2015 Charles A. Rodefeld Award for Leadership in Philanthropy and the Community.
Safety tips
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires. CDC experts offer these suggestions to help reduce potential dangers:
- Install battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area in your home, and replace as directed or every 5 years.
- Make sure gas appliances are vented properly. Never heat houses with a gas oven.
- Have chimneys checked or cleaned every year. Never use a portable gas camp stove indoors.
- Never use a generator inside homes or garages, even if doors and windows are open. Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from any windows, doors and vents. When using a generator, use a battery-powered or battery backup CO detector.
- Never run cars or trucks inside garages that are attached to a house, even with the garage door open. Have a mechanic check the exhaust system of cars or trucks every year.
A version of this article will appear in the May 21 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.