Patti Louise Covey Edwards
March 18, 1932 — February 13, 2026

On February 13, 2026, Patti Louise Covey Edwards, the wife of Hall of Fame BYU football coach LaVell Edwards, passed away at the age of 93. Born March 18, 1932, Patti is reunited with her late husband LaVell, who previously passed away on Dec. 29, 2016. 

Select the following link to view the obituary and express condolences for the family. An evening visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday, February 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 1600 North 900 East in Provo. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 21 at 1:00 p.m. at the Church located at 1600 North 900 East in Provo, with a visitation held that morning from 11:00-12:30 p.m. prior to the services. The obituary includes a livestream link of the funeral for those unable to attend. 

Revered and loved by all who knew her, Patti lived a life that inspired and influenced people for good beyond measure. She made a lasting impact not only on her family and the BYU football program but also in her community and within college football at large, leaving a legacy of leadership and love that will forever honor her name. 

In 1988 Patti was a founder of the American Football Coaches’ Wives Association. From humble beginnings with some 40 wives participating in the first year of this national association, Patti helped foster the growth of the AFCWA to a point where nearly four decades later it boasts more than three-thousand members with a mission to “provide camaraderie, support, information, and service to the wives of American football coaches.”

Learn more about Patti and her amazing life and legacy below by watching the BYUtv Deep Blue feature on Patti and reading an excerpt about Patti from the book "100 Years of BYU Football" published by Deseret Book. 

Patti Edwards — The First Lady of BYU Football

As the young wife of a college-football player, Patti Edwards would sit alone in the stands, cheering on her husband and hoping that football was just a phase that would soon pass, so LaVell could graduate and they could get on with life.

Years after attending dozens of games as he wife of Coach Edwards, Patti realized that football was an important part of her husband’s life and it likely wasn’t going away anytime soon.

“I figured I might as well embrace it,” she said.

As time went on, Patti began to realize that she could play an important role in helping her husband build the BYU football program by creating a support system for the wives of the married players.

And so she did.

Patti opened her home to anyone in need. If the players and their wives didn’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving, Patti would invite them to join the Edwards family for dinner. She reached out to the wives of the players and coaches and brought them together for dinners on her back patio.

“I just felt it was so important that the players’ wives get to know each other,” said Patti. “I encouraged them to form their own friendships with each other, despite the competition that might exist on the field among their husbands. Many of those women are still really good friends, and they’re my friends too.”

Years later, Patti became the catalyst in a similar process of uniting coaches’ wives on a national scale. When opposing teams would come to town, she would take the coaches’ wives to lunch or on an outing.

“One year Pitt came in early for a game, so I took the wives to Park City and had a wonderful day,” recalled Patti. “Jackie Harbaugh (whose husband, Jack, was on the Pitt staff) and I were walking down the street and talking. She said to me, ‘This is a wonderful thing. It makes us feel like we all belong together,’ and I agreed.”

That conversation got the ball rolling.

At the time, LaVell was serving as the president-elect of the American Football Coaches Association.

In January, at the 1988 AFCA National Convention in Atlanta, Patti and four of the other coaches’ wives were having breakfast together. “I said we need to start our own association, and they all agreed,” recalled Patti. “So, I took charge. That afternoon we were able to get a room in the hotel and have a meeting. About 40 women showed up, and that’s how it started.”

During the offseason, Patti started a newsletter to keep the wives in touch with each other, and the American Football Coaches’ Wives Association was officially founded. From humble beginnings more than three decades ago, the AFCWA has grown to more than three-thousand members with a mission to “provide camaraderie, support, information, and service to the wives of American football coaches.”

“Every year we give $1,000 to the children’s hospital in the town where we hold the convention,” said Patti. “Being the wife of a football coach can be challenging, and it’s great to have an organization that provides support and friendship.”

“Whatever success I may have had in coaching can be attributed in part to the complete support of Patti and our children.” – LaVell Edwards