Uncle Ed

My uncle, Ed, died last night. He was a great guy, always friendly and helpful to us kids. The things I remember about him was that he loved his job as a sawyer at the Weyerhauser sawmill across the river from his and Aunt Fern’s house in Cottage Grove. He always acted like he was going to box with me from my earliest memories up through when I entered middle age. He is the first guy I ever knew that invested in mutual funds. I always figured he started a little after they were invented. I am sure that is not true, but he was definitely on the bandwagon before they became universally popular as an retirement investment instrument. He always gave all us kids a stick of gum after Sunday morning meeting; I even remember him give his first testimony when he first professed to serve God. I do not remember what he said, but I was a really little kid sitting by my cousin, Gary, on a bench in front of the furnace at our house on South Sixth Street in Cottage Grove. I was mildly offended because Gary told me to be quiet because he wanted to listen. I wanted him to pay attention to what I was drawing. One of the coolest things about Uncle Ed was that he took up gold mining in his retirement. He had a mining claim out on Sharps Creek, I think. It fascinated me a lot. I do not think he found much gold, but he surely enjoyed the mining. He probably enjoyed talking with his mining buddies and being out and about more than finding gold. I am down here in California, but will make every effort to get back to the funeral.

Our thoughts go out to the whole family. Especially Cousin Merle. We will miss Uncle Ed.