Thursday, May 27, 2021
My two favorite memories of Oncle Ed are these:
The first letter I got to my address at the dormitory in college was from Oncle Ed. He was the only one from his generation of the "Lake People" who had gone to college and he understood what it was like to be away from home in that way. He didn't write about anything in particular except to make that point- he wanted to make sure I had some mail. I was feeling a bit lost and intimidated by all the really smart people on campus so that letter meant a lot to me. It was a connection to something I could count on during a time when I wasn't sure about too much of anything. It was a refence point and an anchor when I really needed one.
After my sophomore year in college, when I bought my first real car with my own money, it was a VW bug. Some combination of Ed and Paul, Papa Werner & Oncle Ed helped me find the right one, making sure it was one they would buy themselves. When I went to pay for my first tank of gas, Oncle Ed surprised me by picking up the tab. He said I'd be buying gas for the rest of my life and it was his pleasure to buy the first tank for me.
Obviously, I never forgot these times; times when he went out of his way with kindness and generosity.
I deeply appreciate having had Onkle Ed in my life.
It is with much love that we send our sincere sympathy to all he leaves behind.
Linda Rust (with Paul Elison and Erika Kuehn)
