Posted by Joel Rose on April 24, 2001 at 09:28:31 from 128.205.233.74 :
Although I work at the University at Buffalo, our paths never crossed at UB. I knew Ed as a neighbor. What a wonderful, big bear of a man he was. Full of life. There were always a group of kids and twenty-somethings hanging out in and around his house, a sure sign of a magnetic presence. Ed and his wife Karen opened their beautiful Wicks house to the neighborhood, as part of the Parkside Tour of Homes, on two occasions. Their house was the favorite stop on the tour. Taking the tour, I listened spellbound as he talked about their wonderful home. Talking with Ed was a real treat. He was always interested in whatever you had to say to him, and he always had something interesting to say to you. I believe he genuinely loved people. One evening back in 1988 I ran into him at some social event at the Barton House on Summit Avenue, and we got to talking about the Zoo, a topic which was a passion with me at that time. Ed listened carefully, commented insightfully, and before long his yard was sporting one of our "Improve Don't Move" signs. He participated in some of our meetings as well. That's the kind of person he was, I think: if he became convinced of the worthiness of a cause, he acted on his belief. It was only after reading some of the other tributes that I realized that Ed had been actively involved in the antiwar movement during the sixties. Of course he would have been. I dearly wish I had known him then. In recent months, I would often encounter Ed as we were each walking our dogs. Sadly, our dogs despised each other, so we would stand on opposite sides of the street, dogs snarling at the ends of their leads, and wave and shout to each other. I will miss him. Joel Rose, 4/24/2001