February 1, 1929 to September 3, 2009
Ed passed quickly in the arms of his partner of 46 years, Keith Culverhouse, and good friend Claude Delmaire, after a gradual decline from congestive heart failure. Ed was born in Kansas City, MO. In his teens the family moved to Oakland, CA, where he graduated from Freemont High. He then went to San Francisco State graduating in 1956 with BA in speech. The US Army called during the Korean War and stationed him at GHQ in Tokyo. On discharge in 1953 he joined CBS TV in Los Angeles and then in New York. Returning to LA in 1962 he went into administration at Douglas Aircraft. In 1964 he joined Grumman Aircraft in Bethpage, NY as administrator for design and assembly of the landing gear for the Lunar Model. But a total change of direction happened in 1968 when he and his partner left the corporate world to open their own business which they called The Nut Kettle. This was a unique concept of offering top quality fresh nuts and exclusive nut confections made in on-view kitchens. First stores were in Flemington, JN and Bucks County, PA. In 1976 the partners moved to Palm Springs, CA, where Ed went into real estate and Keith operated the Nut Kettle. Ed had many dealings with Hollywood personalities and became close friends with Joseph Cotton and his wife Patricia Medina. Eventually the Nut Kettle business grew with the addition of wholesale accounts under private label Neiman Marcus, Knotts Berry Farm, I. Magnin, etc., so that Ed returned full-time to apply his special talents in creative recipes and customer schmoozing. Retirement came after selling the business in 1991 and moving to Salt Spring Island, BC the next year. Ed continued active as a consultant for Rogers Chocolates in Victoria and Palm Springs’ oldest chocolate candy company. His calm and incisive manor in business also applied to his stints as president of various strata organizations in Palm Springs and at Royal Quays in Victoria. He also was active in church councils at All Saints (and co-founder of their Music & Munch Program) as well as St. Davids in Cordova Bay, St. Marks in Qualicum Beach and St. John the Divine, Victoria. Ed and Keith want to thank all the various good and helpful people in the healthcare system who did their best during Ed’s illness and in particular Dr. George Wray, Lynn Mitchell at the Heart Institute and Susan at the Heart Function Clinic. A memorial service will be held at St. John the Divine, in Victoria, at 2:00 pm on September 17. Any donations should be to St. Johns for their food bank services.