Edward Charles Skoler

Eddie was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 24, 1927, the son of Frederick Skoler, a native of Manchester, England, and Rose (Becker) Skoler, who was born in Russia.

At age 17, he joined the Merchant Marine, traveling to Europe while serving aboard a WWII Victory ship. Drafted into the army toward the end of the war, he served at Fort Carson in Colorado. Following the war, he attended college under the GI Bill, earning a certificate in paint chemistry from North Dakota State University, then known as North Dakota Agriculture College, in Fargo.

For many years he ran the Skoler Paint Factory in Springfield, MA, then in the early 1970s moved full-time to the Cape after becoming a distributor of Safeguard Business Systems.

Eddie was a man of many interests, from the visual arts to history and archaeology, and all things maritime. From a young age, he pursued community service, first as a scout master while a Technical High School student in Springfield. For 50 years he volunteered for the Coast Guard Auxiliary in various roles, among them patrolling Hyannis area waters, teaching boating safety, and conducting inspections. He also worked at the Coast Guard Station in Woods Hole, and until very recently continued to volunteer at the Coast Guard Heritage Museum in Barnstable Village. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Museum, and also appears in an exhibit on the history of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Earlier, he was a founder of the Pioneer Valley Yacht Club in Longmeadow, MA, and served on the Connecticut River Improvement Council. An avid student of military history, he was a long-time member of the Civil War Round Table Discussion Group.

He was devoted to Jewish causes as well. He participated in the Volunteers for Israel Program, visiting Israel several times, serving on army bases as well as an archaeological dig. At various times he served on the Board of Cape Cod Synagogue and the Jewish Federation of Cape Cod.

In his youth, Eddie was interested in painting and photography, but was distracted by WWII, then running a business, and raising a family. Upon his retirement, he returned to the study of painting. His work--primarily abstract acrylics--has been shown in several galleries, including the Cork Gallery at Lincoln Center in New York City, and in a solo show at the Cape Cod Museum of Art in September 2013. He was a loyal member of the Tuesday painting group.

Eddie is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elaine (Singer) of West Yarmouth; and daughters Deena of West Yarmouth, and Jane and her partner, Tom Shoff, of Berkeley, California. He is also survived by his brother, George, of Danbury, Connecticut; and several nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his brother, Martin.

Services will be held on Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m. at Cape Cod Synagogue, 145 Winter Street, Hyannis, MA 02601. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cape Cod Synagogue, the Coast Guard Heritage Museum (3353 Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630), or the charity of one’s choice.