Tom,

I just sent the following email to your sister.

December 24, 2002

Dear Kate,

Jim Booth has said that you’d like to hear some of the memories those of us who knew Ed via the Internet have. The following are some of mine, but nowhere nearly all.

My first encounter with your brother stands out particularly. I had been answering questions on the Visual FoxPro forum at the Universal Thread. One day this new member shows up answering many of the same ones I would have. This goes on for several weeks, and I note that his expertise in the area is far superior to my own.

One day I log on to the UT to find a private message waiting for me. It was from Ed, saying, basically, that he hoped that I didn’t mind his answering those questions. Naturally, I replied that I didn’t mind at all.

The reason this impressed me was that it was something he didn’t have to do, but did out of courtesy anyway. It was also the beginning of our friendship.

I remember getting a new hard drive and privately asking him if there was anything I needed to be aware of during installation. His reply was more helpful than the installation instructions that came with the product.

I remember having problems with a network connection. Not only did he gladly return his analysis of what the problem might be, but also offered to put me in touch with someone else who might be of more assistance.

I remember meeting him, at last, at the Great Lakes Great Database Workshop last month. It was, unfortunately, too brief a time. I wish that I could have spent more time with him. I was happy that he seemed in good health.

I remember someone of humor, integrity and honesty. Someone who loved baseball. Most of all, I remember someone of great courage. He shared his health problems with me. He shared his decision not to have open-heart surgery even though it might prolong his life. I tried to argue him out of it, but given what he had been through, I didn’t try all that hard. After all, my motivation was purely selfish. I didn’t want to lose a friend.

Ed helped literally hundreds of people. He made their lives easier and better. There’s a saying that you may be familiar with, “Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Ed taught when it was appropriate. Ed gave as well.

Please know that I’ll pray the following tonight on Ed’s behalf: “The Lord bless him and keep him. The Lord make His face to shine upon him and gracious unto him.”

My deepest condolences,