Edith Shoals

<p>Edith Shoals never planned to be a community leader. Then her 18-year-old daughter, Lordette was shot to death while talking on the phone with her. Edith found that there was little support for the families of victims of violent crime.</p>

Tuesday, February 2nd 2016, 5:22 pm

By: News On 6

What makes Oklahoma special? We think it’s got to be the people. And we meet some amazing people in our stories. Here’s another example.

TURN TRAGEDY AROUND.

Edith Shoals never planned to be a community leader. Then her 18-year-old daughter, Lordette was shot to death while talking on the phone with her. Edith found that there was little support for the families of victims of violent crime. So she founded Families of Murdered Children in 1997, and later, Tulsa Healing Communities.

She has gone from vowing to see her daughter’s murderer executed to asking the courts to spare his life and being featured in a documentary on those who oppose the death penalty. Edith’s efforts not only support victims’ families, but work with prisoners to re-enter the community. The program also works with at-risk youth and partners with churches to take positive action to help both victims and criminals. “If you can’t communicate, you can’t heal.”

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