| Ed Emerson's Obituary just received from Tommy Stargell
Posted by Jan Zarebicki   on 11/13/2009, 11:18 am, in reply to "Ed Emerson"
199.250.13.98
Obituary of Edward Emerson, Jr.
January 2, 1927-November 1, 2009
Edward Emerson, Jr. passed from this life on November 1, 2009. He was born in New York City on January 2, 1927 to Edward Emerson and Martha Payne Emerson and grew up in Greenwich, CT. His wife of 30 years, the love of his life, Elizabeth Newman Emerson who died in l981, preceded him in death. He then shared a 20-year marriage with Carolyn Emerson who is a beloved stepmother and grandmother to his family. A sister, Shelia Sadler of Beach Haven, NJ, and Sarasota, FL, and two brothers, Chris Emerson of Hood River, Oregon, and Job Emerson of Cape Cod, MA survive him. Six children and ten grandchildren also live to remember him: Shelia Kelly of Charleston, WV and her husband Jim Boggs with children Elizabeth Anne Kelly and John Asher Kelly; Edward Emerson III and his wife Ellen of Monroe, CT with their children Edward Winthrop Emerson and Elizabeth Fargo Emerson; Kate Shumate and her husband John of Barboursville, VA; Peter Emerson and his wife Deb of Waynesboro, VA, and their children Margaret Newman Emerson an Helen Payne Emerson; Elizabeth Lonergan and her husband Kelly of Woodberry Forest, VA and their children Ava Sinclair Lonergan and Peter Conway Lonergan; Laurie Neale and her husband Tim of Orange, VA and their children Lael Sinclair Neale and Samuel Henry Neale.
Ed was unable to serve in the U. S. military due to a perforated eardrum. Therefore in l945, fresh out of high school, he volunteered to join the American Field Services. He drove a jeep ambulance for the British Army in the Indian-Bursan Theatre. The experience gave him an interest in the history of the British and Indian armies and military history in general. Upon returning from overseas Ed entered Yale University in the spring of 1946. He also returned to his love of athletics and became a 210 pound mainstay on the defensive line of the Eli football team. He earned an invitation to play in 1949 North/South Shrine All Star game in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. After graduating from Yale, he began working in Pittsburgh, PA for the People’s Natural Gas Co. where he flourished. He retired in 1982 as Vice President and Director of the Consolidated Gas Transmission Co. headquartered in Clarksburg, WVA. During his tenure in West Virginia he was an active community volunteer coordinating watershed projects and other environmentally oriented projects.
Ed Emerson was a man who loved nature and animals. His great passion was upland bird dogs and he became involved in Field Trials up and down the east coast. His first good trial dog was a pointer named Tick’s Lexington Jake. Among Jake’s many wins was a second in the American Field Pheasant Futurity at Baldwinsville, N. Y. A son of Bob Whele’s Elhew Marksman, Ed said, “Jake had to be good because I was the most amateur of handlers.” Ed and Elizabeth joined the Orange County Field Trial Club which ran the most prestigious one course trial of that time also at Baldwinsville, NY. He served as a director and eventually as Secretary and finally as President of that club. The directors of the club read like a who’s who of field trials. People like Lee White, Frank Ash, Bob Wehle, Dick Shear, Dr. John Powers, Lebeus Bissel, Tom and Jim Flanagan, Harry Townshend, and Truman Cowles. He also served as a director of the National Open Pheasant Championship until it moved from New York State to western Ohio. Ed greatly enjoyed being a director of the National Open Pheasant Futurity and became president of that club in later years. He also served as a director of the US Quail Futurity. Upon retirement and moving to a Virginia farm he became secretary of the Association of Virginia Field Trial Clubs. He organized and conducted Virginia’s Eastern Open Shooting Dog Championship for many years. “I’ve enjoyed judging field trials and can honestly say that I judged trials from Maine to Florida including championships and futurities. One of my most favorite field trial memories is starting the Central WVA Bird Dog Club in Clarksburg, WVA. We ran trials and also operated a skeet field for years. What made it memorable was the great people and great fun.”
It is no secret that Ed’s favorite dog of all the many hundreds that he owned and raised was, without any doubt, the setter Homeward Breeze. Breeze was a remarkable derby dog and went on to many placements as an adult. His prodigy continues to win and carry on his characteristics but there was only one Breeze. He lived in the house and like his master perfected the art of genteelness.
An artist, a musician, a philosopher, a voracious reader, he was a well-rounded and fascinating man. He was a jazz music aficionado who pursued that hobby as a drummer throughout many years of his life. His passion for football and the Pittsburgh Steelers never waned. He was a wonderful father who deeply loved his children, his grandchildren and was a friend to many. He once said, “As I approach my last years, I wish I could do it all over again. With very few exceptions, I would gladly relive the years that gave so much to me. I hope that in some small way I have given something back.”
For twenty years this writer has been an unabashed, an unreconstructed, and an unmitigated Ed Emerson fan. There are many like myself who have over and over sought his sage advice. Two years ago he quietly took me aside during a trial and asked me to write and send his obituary to the American Field. I was speechless and very honored. I, like many others, owe Ed a great deal. When I reported my first championship I looked up championship reports penned by him for guidance. I called him and we discussed what went in a good report. When I reported the Continental, a Herculean task, he was the first I called upon my return home. I called him when I contemplated sending a good dog to a professional trainer for the first time. I wanted the most logical and sincere advice possible. After judging my first championship I learned that the trial chairman had asked Ed if he knew anyone to recommend and Ed gave him my name. Ed wrote me a letter once and asked if I would like his complete bound collection of American Fields going back to 1933. He wanted them to go to someone who loved the sport and its glorious history as he did. Today they are housed by Mary McConnell and are cherished by me. Ed loved to attend a little country bird hunters’ trial we held for years. Each time he came I had his usual “parting gift” ready when he left. He loved my wife’s corn bread muffins and pinto beans with country ham. He would always call me in a couple of days with compliments to the chef and hearty thanks. Ever the gentleman, the calming influence, and the logical appraiser, I have often heard his quiet, deep, and reasoned voice bring back dignity and intellect to even the most raucous discussions during Association of Virginia Field Trial Club’s meetings. He loved this organization and favored it with the creation of the Homeward Breeze Setter Award. The award yearly rewards the top point setter competing in Virginia trials with both a monetary award and a leg on the beautiful Homeward Breeze trophy. It is a worthy tribute to a grand breed and a grand dog, both of which Ed loved dearly.
I cannot remember Ed without his ever ready smile, good humor, and hearty handshake. He liked people and they liked him. He appreciated humor on all levels. He could kid and he could take being the target of kidding. Without going into details, Norman Basilone played a joke on Ed regarding his beloved Homeward Breeze. Norm told me and encouraged me to ask Ed about it. I did so in the presence of some of our field trail friends. Knowing it was a great story and even though it would bring us all to tears of laughter, at his expense, Ed told the whole thing just a Norm had told it.
What you have read is the life of a wonderful, a complex, and a fulfilled man. Ed and his daughter Laurie independently wrote his life story, which were both shared with me. Obviously these two writings made my compilation much easier. I fused the two biographies as they both had unique perspectives into Ed’s life. Frankly, as I read his life, I marveled at the diversity and the richness. I leave the readers with these words. “Ed Emerson achieved his goal. He gave back, he gave back to many of us, and he gave back in a multitude of ways.”
TommyStargell Scottsville, VA
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