Obituary
Grant Branham Edwards passed away peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, June 18th, 2023. He was the son of D. John and Linda Edwards, and was born October 9th, 1961 in Kansas City, Missouri. Grant was a graduate of Lee’s Summit High School in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. For his undergraduate education he attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and then graduated with a BA cum laude in English from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1984. Grant received a Master’s in Social Work in 1987 and a PhD in Counseling Psychology in 1997, both from the University of Kansas, in Lawrence, Kansas.
As a licensed psychologist, Grant was an integral part of the practice at Responsive Centers for Psychology and Learning in Overland Park, Kansas. A partner from 2007 on, Grant became the Clinical Director beginning in 2020. For 23 years, he helped many of his clients create change in their lives through individual psychotherapy focusing on depression, anxiety, ADHD, oppositional behavior, and relationship problems. He served as one of two psychology representatives to the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) beginning in 2010. He was appointed by then-governor Kathleen Sebelius, becoming the chair of the BSRB in 2011. Grant also had a special interest in doing therapy with adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Before joining Responsive Centers, Grant worked in a variety of mental health settings – psychiatric hospitals including Menningers, a college counseling center, nursing homes, a state prison, and group homes for children and adolescents.
Grant was an accomplished photographer. When he was in high school, he took pictures for the Lee’s Summit Journal newspaper. This early passion continued for his entire life. He posted a photo every day for many years on a photography website, where his photo was often voted the top one of the day. Similarly, Grant’s lifelong love of reading, particularly great literature, was notable and reflected in his impressive personal library.
Grant was preceded in death by his father John Edwards. His survivors include his mother Linda, his brother and sister-in-law Todd and Laura Edwards, his three children Ben, Jamie, and Cam Edwards and his love Theresa Couture.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in Grant’s memory to go to the Edwards Family Scholarship Fund at
Arrangements by Langsford Funeral Home, 115 SW 3rd Street, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
Grant was a gentle, kind human being, great therapist, and a great friend and coworker. He had a great great great sense of humor! Grant you have made your presence known and positively impacted numerous numerous peoples lives!
Dr. Edwards, we loved you. You are still helping this family and your legacy lives on with many. Cole and I send our deepest sympathy to the entire Edwards family.
We are truly so very sorry for all of your losses! As a patient of Dr. Edwards for 3+ years, I know how very intelligent and caring and wise and funny Dr. Edwards was. I am bereft at his loss in the world (and I haven’t seen him face to face since 10+ years ago–we moved to California in 2006), so I can only IMAGINE the loss of his loved ones — his 3 sons, his mother, his brother, his love. Theresa, Ben, Jamie, and Cam, I can’t begin to think what possible words could comfort you. And for his sons, mother, and brother to have just lost Dr. Ed’s father 8 days before … “Sorry for your losses” doesn’t seem to cover it nearly well enough! You are in our thoughts! I hope it gives some small comfort to know how very many of his patients benefited from his counsel. He was a truly amazing man. Allow me to crudely say, Cancer Sucks!!! He fought the good fight, tooth and nail. He is at peace now. No one deserves it more!
Grant’s passing is truly heart breaking. We wish there were words that could bring comfort. He was an amazing man and touched so many lives. We feel truly blessed to have known him. Our deepest sympathy.
I LOVED GRANT !!! I loved Grant…. He was my physiologist…. and he helped me learn how to live… he ment the world to me…and I can’t express how much I appreciated him and what he gave me… he said I was proof that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works… I owe my joy and happiness in life to Grant… I know how much he loved his Sons and his Partner… he needed to be one this earth for 100 years…. My heart is broken… and I am sure that all who knew him
deeply miss him…. GRANT WAS A GIFT!!
It’s hard for me to believe that he’s gone. He was my therapist from 2010-2020. Grant was a kind and gentle soul with an excellent sense of humor. He made such a difference in my life and I never had a chance to thank him. I send my prayers out to the family, because I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it will be to live without him.