I just learned of Dr. Brickell's passing and it leaves me with a heavy heart. Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss. Although it is over a year ago, I hope you will see this message as I would like you to know how much he has meant to me over the years. I  was Dr. Brickell's secretary when he joined the Virginia Beach School System as Assistant Superintendent. I remember him so fondly for his kindness and patient ways.  It was one of my very first jobs, he was appreciative of everything I did and always encouraged me no matter what it was. He was a very  positive influence in my life.  I can still picture him quoting Shakespeare frequently and waxing poetic' as he used to say. He was so brilliant yet so humble truly a man of class. Without a doubt, that was one of my very favorite jobs, and Dr. Brickell is one of my very favorite people. Unfortunately, when my husband left the service, we also left Virginia. We lost touch for some time, but we were vacationing in Virginia Beach in the late 90's and stopped in to see him while we were there. I was so glad to see him once again and we had a very nice visit. He looked wonderful and very happy. After almost 50  years, I still think about my time working with Dr. Brickell, and I feel very honored to have had him as my friend and mentor.

I remember him well from high school. Rest in peace Ed.
Dr. Juanita Alex Milliken

Some of us here in Franklin recall Dr. Brickell being the first superintendent of schools for 2 and one half years starting in 1962.  He left here to take the position at William and Mary.  He definitely left his mark here - in a  positive way.  I talked to Dr. Brickell on  the phone  in regard to  my doing  a newspaper article.  I sent him a copy of the article.  Clyde  Parker, magnolia101@charter. net

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Ed Brickell.  My heartfelt condolences go to his family.  He was truly a remarkable man.  His academic achievements, intelligence, and sense of humor are well known.  His many contributions include his service in World War II, in education as teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent, and as the president of The Eastern Virginia Medical School.  When I think of him I think of two things.  He was a Renaissance Man who loved education, Shakespeare, country music, and baseball.  The other thing I remember is the kind man who remembered the students he taught so many years ago who wrote me a thoughtful reply to a Christmas card a few years ago.  I will miss him.        Jim Bocock

May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.

Nancy, we were shocked to hear of Ed's passing away. Our most heartfelt condolences to you and all the family.
In addition to being one of our "Greatest Generation" he was also a Great man in so many others ways. His positive influence on thousands as a Teacher, Administrator, Leader and Friend will last for many generations to come. Tidewater is a better place because of his presence and we are all truly blessed by his legacy. He will be greatly missed.    Robert Waddell

I can now appreciate your intellect and greatness! RIP Ed!

Nancy, I am so sorry for your loss.  

Ed was a very special, intelligent, and talented man. I was fortunate to have gone through the Virginia Beach Schools while he was superintendent, when the schools were at their very best. 

You and Ed have also been family friends for many years, and I love you both.

You and your family are in my prayers daily.

Eddie Brickell, has received a lot of accolades, but the one thing that most people don't know is his passion and talent as a bluegrass musician. Had he chosen that route, he could have been as successful as any Nashville country music star.

Eddie Brickell, along with my own father, was the most amazing man I've ever known.  My father was as uneducated as Eddie Brickell was educated, having only a 4th grade education but with the common sense of a real hillbilly Phd genius. Eddie talked like a hillbilly (when he wanted to and like an Ivy League scholar when he needed to.)

Recalling his bluegrass roots after hearing of his death, I recalled the time he went to Wise, VA (must have been back in the 70s) at the request of his pal and fellow hillbilly musician, Chancellor Emeritus Joseph C. (Papa Joe) Smiddy to speak at the University of Virginian's College at Wise.

After the speech, Brickell, Papa Joe, Papa Joe's son, Doc Smiddy, a noted cardiologist, and a couple others went to a local hotel.  They cracked out the whisky and their instruments and began to howl old country music songs.  By 4 a.m., as the whisky was running low,  we were singing to the top of our lungs.  Happy.  Makin' music.'  Management came up finally, shut us down and told us we had to leave, Brickell told me laughing his head off at the memories.

Recently, in thinking back on Eddie, Papa Joe, et al, I recalled my first meeting of Papa Joe and Doc at a free country music concert at Natural Bridge, down in a bowl,' of a natural amphitheater.   I went to YouTube recently  and clicked on Papa Joe and Doc's rendition of one of Eddie's favorite songs, "Just A Bowl Of Butter Beans, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvGzhIvL5A) a sing-a-long ole twangy bluegrass tribute to the joys of eating butter beans and cornbread. I couldn't help tearing up, reliving in my mind how it must have sounded with Eddie Brickell in the mix.  And Eddie loved gospel music.  

I was forever in awe of Eddie knowing his formal education, and yet his love for the simpler art of bluegrass music.

He could live in both the hillbilly and the administrative world with equal ease.  Back in the 70's, the beach school bus drivers were ready to revolt,' wanting more pay, better working conditions.  Brickell's budget was tight. There weren't enough funds to meet their demands, but he explained how they had to understand their role in the big picture of education of the little kiddies.'

A mass meeting of the drivers was called at Kellam High School Auditorium.  Before the meeting, I met Eddie in his office and we discussed the situation and how he was going to deal with it.  

As the time approached, Eddie got up, put on his suit jacket and said, Come on, Moe.  I want you to see this.  We traveled from the school admin building down the street to Kellam. Stay with me, Moe, he said  as he went up the steps  back stage and out to the front at the podium.

Eddie surveyed the audience, women, men, blacks, whites, many poor whose bus driving jobs were a necessary part of  their family's economic livelihood.

And smiling,  he began speaking. In his most drawn out, sincere, country drawl (and Eddie knew how to put it on').  Telling them how much he appreciated their concern.  Telling them how much he understood their plight and desires. Telling them of the important role they were playing in the education of the kiddies going to school.  How students and the school administration depended on the bus drivers to play their own very important role in getting the kids back and forth to the schools.

He wanted them to have a better life than he had growing up.

And when I was growing up in Berkley, he explained, almost with stress from the past memories,  I had pull my little wagon and walk the streets of Berkley almost every day collecting bottles and scrap metal to help my momma buy a loaf of bread and other food to help feed us.  I could sometimes walk all day and only get enough to sell to get a loaf of bread.  That was poor, he explained.  Do any of you all, remember those days?  They were hard. He continued to tell them how poor his family was growing up. Their anger had turned to silent awe as they listened to this great leader of the school system talk in such simple terms about such hard times, most all of them had experienced  .

KSS  Keep it simple, stupid:  Eddie never used any words over 2 syllables long.  He was on their level.  Explaining in passionate, simple language so they could understand the plight he was facing in trying to give their children a better life than they had had and he had had growing up. That's why bus drivers were such a vital,  important part of the big  picture. I don't want to take anything away from the education of your children.  And I know you don't either.  

Before he finished that passionate story, several  dozen in the audience were wiping tears away. It was an awesome and moving testimony about his passion to keep them happy, committed, and working for a better school system and better educated kids. He made no commitment, but he promised he would not forget their needs and try to do better by them in the future.  And he did, too. And the threat of a strike' or work action was over as the drivers walked out talking about what a great speech they'd just heard. He's not dumb, said one, at least he understands.  Others were mumbling similar comments.

Hell, I was moved standing back stage listening to his speech.  Because it was so simple, I was as moved as those in the audience.

About 2 weeks later, Eddie had a speech at William & Mary College before a bunch of educators.  He spoke in a different, foreign tongue.'  as I listened, it seemed he didn't use a single word less than 5 syllables and I almost needed a dictionary to understand anything he was saying.  He was a man of many and diverse talents. 

As capable of belting out, a verse of  Just A Bowl of Butter Beans,  as addressing a room full of Phd's.

In my more than 45 years of covering public servants and politicians in Virginia, I have never known a more committed, involved and multi-talented public servant.  None!

Dr. Brickell's office as the first Superintendent of Schools in my hometown of Franklin was in the Victorian mansion known as the Pace House across the street from my childhood home.  I often saw him, and he always stopped to ask me how I was doing and what I was reading. Then we were together at William and Mary for my freshman and sophomore years. One day on campus as he was preparing to leave William and Mary to come to Virginia Beach, I asked Dr. Brickell if I could work for him someday.  "You ARE going to work for me someday, Paul."  And he kept his promise.  He was my hero, my mentor, and literally with Mr. Garland Jackson my life saver as now Sean and Heidi know for certain.  Without Dr. Brickell, I would never have never met my wife, never had a wonderful 40-year career as an English teacher in Virginia Beach, and never been alive to enjoy the life he gave me.  The opportunity to teach his grandson "Q" was an unexpected joy at the end of my career.  I admired Dr. Brickell and loved him for over fifty years.  No other Superintendent of Schools has ever managed to inspire teachers to join together to make Virginia Beach City Public Schools one of the top school systems in the nation.  I will never forget the day we all vowed in our convocation to join him in "Marching to Macedonia"!  If only he had run for President of the United States, we wouldn't be in the messes we are today as a nation.

A favorite memory I have of Dr. Brickell goes back to the mid-1980s when he asked me to explain why VBCPS should create computer-based writing labs in our high schools. After listening patiently, he held up a shiny, freshly-sharpened yellow pencil and said, "THIS is the only word processor anyone needs." I think he was joking - maybe ... I still think of him fondly whenever I see a yellow pencil!

A good old Berkley Boy.  God bless you for sharing your life.      John Creekmore

I was a student at Oscar Smith High and had the privilege of knowing Brickell as a teacher and Assistant Principal as well as a family friend. I will never forget his enthusiasm for Shakespeare, as he stood on his desk to deliver a soliquy from "MacBeth", or his dry wit when correcting a poorly composed paper. But he was an excellent counselor as Vice Principal too.  Once when I was very discouraged over a remark made by one of my teachers, to help me regain my self-esteem, he pulled out all the comments made about me by other teachers down through my years in school to show me that her words were unfair and misleading.  He was a very special person up to the last, and my heart goes out to his family as they mourn his loss.

Heidi, so sorry for your loss! As much as we all cared about him as a wonderful educator and pioneer in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, he was also a very proud father and grandfather! Thoughts and prayers to you and your family! Patty Mashek Williford

I have been close to Dr. Brickell for close to 40 years  he was the Rector (Chairman of the Board of Visitors) at William and Mary when I was appointed in 1978, and I recently succeeded him as President of the Cypher Society at the College. I am extremely fortunate to have known him as a friend and as a mentor and will miss him deeply.   
He taught me many life lessons including;
•Being passionate about both 1) William and Mary and 2) Shakespeare can bring life-long joy.
•In order to assure fairness, sometimes you have to be really, really tough; 
•Proper grammar, while a lost art, is still an important virtue.    
The innumerable stories of Virginia politics / life at the College /Hampton Roads immediately prior to and after the War were always insightful and peppered with humor and pithy insights on the human condition. He also conferred on me a certain nobility for being the patron saint of lost causes. 
In the past few years he talked a little more about his wartime experiences, and I observed that he was more prone to jump when there was a loud and unexpected noise. He offered that after one experienced combat, one could never completely shake off those reactions - he wasn't complaining, it was just a reality. He was able to attend the College because of the GI Bill and truly made most of it. He was low key about his many accomplishments, yet bragged about his wife, his children and  more overtly  his grandchildren.  Although he would give the credit to others, he was the living embodiment of why his has been called the greatest generation'. 
Nancy, Sean, Heidi and the rest of the family - my thoughts are with you all.

Although I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Brickell face to face, I am forever grateful for the influence he had on my education - and for his friendship to my great uncle. What a wonderful man.

I knew of Ed Brickell as a community leader and educator for most of my life, but never worked with him. About twenty years ago, while walking on the feeder road at the Beach very early in the morning I encountered him and struck up a conversation. From that day for as long as I walked, I looked forward to those "chance meetings' with Ed Brickell. He was delightful. We talked of baseball in the thirties and forties, Shakespeare, and whatever we were reading...a charming man has left us.

My deepest sympathy is extended to his wife and loved ones in grief. May he rest in peace.

I have fond memories of Dr. Brickell in my high school years in Virginia Beach. My prayers are with the family. He was a great man and I always looked up to him.

Dr. Brickell was without a doubt the most talented, influential, and accomplished Virginia Beach City Public Schools Superintendent in the history of the city. I was proud to be among the last class of assistant principals Dr. Brickell appointed. I still recall at the very first meeting of new A.P.s at the Admin Building hearing a commotion down a hallway and looking out and seeing Dr. Brickell himself carrying a load of folding chairs for his audience. Thank goodness the shock quickly wore off and several of us made a quick dash to relieve our new boss of his burden. What a guy! The public perhaps today little realizes what a 'giant" we have lost. Just thankful I was lucky enough to have served under him.

Thank you, Dr. Brickell. You are the only superintendent who ever made a difference in Virginia beach. Thanmks for your years of service.

Dr. Brickell will be sorely missed. I was privileged to know Dr. Brickell at Virginia Wesleyan College where he taught adjunct courses for many wonderful years. He was an asset to the faculty and to the students.

God rest his soul. What a wonderful gentleman Dr. Brickell was. As Director of the Academic Computer Center at EVMS, I recall him visiting me early one morning (7 am) in my office to complement me on a technology update that I presented to the faculty the previous night. I was pleased to discover that our President began the day as early as his staff. On another visit, I remember Dr. Brickell's surprise when he discovered that the new mainframe computer (a DEC VAX 4500), that he approved to the tune of $250,000, was about one tenth the size of the mainframe that it replaced (a DEC VAX 11/780). He was astounded to see a computer the size of a small file cabinet replacing one that filled a small room. He also expressed his consternation to David Ricks, one of our finance staff members, regarding a Jean Luc Picard figure resting on the top of the new computer. It took Dr. Brickell awhile to realize that computer personnel were a quirky bunch.

Nancy... So sorry to hear about Dr. Ed. He lived a long and extraordinarily productive life and we were all most fortunate to benefit from his leadership, service and incisive humor.
I am in New England hiking and will miss visittion and funeral but will keep you both in my thoughts.

My heart goes out to Nancy and having known Ed I know I have known a man of superior character and a heart the size of Texas. I was so honored by knowing him and may God be with the family in these times of such grief. Nancy I am here when you need me.

Such an amazing wit, and wonderful man.
How we will miss him.  So sorry for your loss and ours.   Susan & Earp Hall

My thoughts and prayers extend to The Brickell Family during a time of sudden loss and sadness.
Sincerely,
-Jeffery P. Barbour, MLIS

For those of us who grew up in South Norfolk and had the opportunity and privilege to know him as a teacher, principal and play baseball for Coach Brickell, we are indeed saddened to learn of his passing. Our prayers are with his family and friends.  He was our mentor, friend and we all respected and loved him. On many occasions "Chief" would meet at breakfast with his former South Norfolk and Oscar Smith baseball players to reminisce about our playing days and our beloved "Coach" always remembered everyone and his sharp wit was very present during the gathering.  Coach's contribution to our development as students, players and good citizens is his legacy to us. Mr. Brickell  was a "hero" to many of us and we will miss him.  God Bless!

I cut Dr. Brickell's hair for 44 years and we have shared "many" fascinating stories. A true ""Southern Gentleman ", he will be greatly missed by me and by all who knew him....Paul Hughes, Chesapeake, VA.

Many thanks to Dr. Brickell and his family for the legacy he has left in the world of education.  Prayers for sweet memories and peace for you.

First met Ed in 1955, I was freshman at the first new Oscar Smith in 1955, first graduating class to graduate in 1958, over the years he was like part of the family at our class reunions as speaker, such a wonderful person, even when he did not speak he would come, we are getting ready to celebrate 57th reunion, you bet he will be in our hearts and memories always, someone we will always think of as our class family, may God bless the family in the loss of one so dear to your heart, Love, Carol(Bailey) LaHorner

Sending prayers to the Brickell family. Dr. Brickell was an icon and a great friend to everyone he met. His smile and humor went on for miles and miles. I will always remember him for his contribution to the VB school system and how much he did for the teachers and staff that worked with him.
Rest in peace dear friend and I am sure God has a wonderful library for you to check out.

OBITUARIO

Edward E Brickell Jr.

22 junio, 1926 – 12 junio, 2015

Rosewood Memorial Park

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