LT Edwin J. "Ed" Conners, Jr., USN (Retired), 74, of St. Petersburg, FL passed away on July 1, 2014 at Bay Pines VA Health Care System.
Born in Rome, NY, Ed served in the United States Navy for 22 years in aviation ordnance, rising through the ranks from Seaman to Limited Duty Officer Lieutenant. His duty assignments included USS Albemarle, USS Oriskany, USS Midway, NAS North Island, NAS Miramar and Operation Deep Freeze at the South Pole. He received fifteen awards including the Navy Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with two bronze stars), Navy Good Conduct Award (with two bronze stars), and the Vietnam Service Medal (with one silver star). After the Navy, his family moved to Washington state where Ed had a gunsmithing shop in Issaquah and Camano Island.
Upon moving to Florida in 2005, Ed's focus shifted to volunteer activities. He was often seen throughout the Bay Pines complex with his trusted golden retriever, Abby. A voracious reader, Ed was also an avid sportsman. He had an infectious "gift of gab" and was a friend to all.
Ed is survived by his bride of 49 years, CDR Maureen A. Conners, NC, USN, (Retired); two children, Terrence P. (Terry) Conners of Houston, TX and Michelle C. Conners of Seattle, WA; a sister, Patricia McGahey of Niceville, FL; and one grandson, Grant P. Conners of Houston, TX.
There will be a memorial service for Ed with full military honors presented at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 11, 2014 at Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard, Bay Pines, FL. He will be cremated and buried at sea.
Please sign the guestbook below.
Veterans Funeral Care of Clearwater, FL is handling all the arrangements.
Maureen and Family,
I am sorry for your loss. Your family will be of great comfort to you in the coming days.
Maureen and Family,
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Your family will be of great comfort to you.
Ed was a dear and respected friend who proudly served his country. He will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace .
We will miss Ed and those happy times he spent with us and friends. Maureen and Family may your many memories comfort you. May he rest in peace.
Hope you are with Abby at the Rainbow Bridge?
Ed, you were a great brother-in-law, friend, buddy and member of the family. You will be missed, but the world will be a sadder yet better place for you having passed our way. With Love Barry and JoAnn
We were long time friends of Ed’s since our elementary, junior high and senior high school years. Ed loved dogs and gave us our first dog, Tuffy, for one of our wedding gifts.
Which we enjoyed for many years. Ed knew that Ro collected ducks so he mailed her a beautiful, large wooden duck to add to her collection. We will miss his smile, his conversations and his desire to go fishing. Rest in peace, Ed. You will be missed.
Maureen, So sorry for your loss. Ed was a great man and friend. I’ll miss him at all of our functions for Sorority. Love to you and your family.
Dear Maureen and Family we feel your Pain, Don’t think of him as gone away- his journey’s has just begun, life holds so many facets-this earth is only one. Think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched.. for nothing loved is ever lost- and he was loved so much.
Ed, all those wonderful times you came to visit us when the ship docked made military life a lot easier. You cried when I announced our first pregnancy. I will always laugh when I recall you refusing to move your new briefcase from the stove, even though I said you should. You left with a beautiful stove burner spiral shape and said it would be used forever. I bet it was. See you in heaven, love, chris
Our heart’s are broken twice with the passing of Uncle Ed & our Bud(7/8/14). Please contact us.
You will be missed. I always have fond memories of you growing up with Michelle. I enjoyed your great sense of humor, even though half the jokes I never got as a kid.
I will keep an eye on Michelle for you.
Michelle and Maureen, So sorry to hear of your loss!It was a wonderful honor to have known Ed over the years. Thinking of you all!
To my family who I miss so terribly. I wish I could have been there with you. Ed was more of a brother than brother in law. He was always there for me in my young life and adult life. You will be terribly missed. Say hello to mom and dad for me now your together again. Love to all of you and big hugs. Maureen and Barry see you soon. Hugs
Fair winds and following seas shipmate!
I miss you so much dad. Life has been so sad with out you. You had a great life and did so much. I know that you Noel and Abby are together. I love you..
The Kid
Ed, you were my best friend. My life was changed a great deal because I knew you. We were friends for a total of three dogs and then some. That’s a long time.
I will never forget you.
The Doc
Maureen, Terry, Michelle; we just found out of ED’s passing. He was a good friend and partner even when we banded heads. We know he is bending someones ear right now and making a new friends. ED is no longer in pain. Good bye GUNNER.
John & Geri Lauriano
I just found out about Ed from my aunt Pat. I’ve been trying to get in contact for a few months. Losing Ed is an enormous loss for everyone who’s life he touched. He was a very special person to all of us. I’m very sorry. Let me know if there’s anything I can do. God bless.
Dear Edwin– rest in peace –we had lots of wonderful years together. I hope that you are enjoying our dogs and all the relatives we have up there with you. Love you always, your wife , Maureeen
I remember an uncle who was bigger then life. But a man who strong enough later in his life to be vulnerable about his challenges. I will have lasting memories of fishing with Uncle Ed talking about women. I will miss him!
Ed you will be missed. Life around you was never dull. Sis, I am very sorry for your loss.
“In end,it’s not the years in your life. It’s the life in your years.”
Abraham Lincoln
Ed had a very rich and wonderful life. He will be missed by his family, friends and fellow veterans.