Edward C. Birch

Edward Charles Birch passed away early in the morning on Wednesday August 26, 2026 at the age of 90. Born in Essex, CT on April 21, 1936, Ed was the only child of Charles and Isabelle Birch. His father (Charlie) was a local racing legend. Ed grew up with river water in his veins, racing small boats with his father and sailing almost daily after school with his friends, the self proclaimed “MIddle Cove Pirates”. HIs other passion beside sailing was music. He grew to be an accomplished trumpet player during his school years. At only 12 years old he became the resident bugler in Essex, playing Taps every Memorial Day. Ed graduated from Valley Regional HIgh School in 1954. After HIgh school, Ed attended Boston University where he would receive his Bachelors Degree in Music Education. It is important to note that he selected BU because in addition to their music program, they also had a very good sailing team. He spent his college years rotating between practicing his trumpet and practicing rounding marks in small boats. After graduating from BU in 1958, Ed enlisted in the Army and was selected to play in the elite Second Army Show Band. Ed enjoyed his time in the Army and had the opportunity to play at many major ceremonies and events. He even appeared on the Ed Sullivan show with the Army Band. In 1961 Ed left the Army and went to the University of Connecticut to obtain his Master’s degree in Music Education. It was there that he would meet his wife Marsha, who was also pursuing her degree in Music Education. Ed determined that Marsha was his soulmate after learning she not only loved music, but also enjoyed sailing as she had learned to sail at Girl Scout camp.They married on July 6th, 1963 and Marsha officially became “First Mate”. They settled in Bloomfield, CT where Ed was a music teacher in the Bloomfield School System and Marsha taught piano lessons while raising their two daughters Cathy & Karen. Ed and Marsha enjoyed an active life centered around work, raising the family, church, tennis and tide schedules. Every possible weekend or summer break was spent sailing. Ed spent two summers as Sailing Master for the Nantucket Yacht Club in the late 60’s. From the 70’s on, during the fall and spring there was the “frostbite” series. Small boat racing on Sundays in the river. Both Marsha and daughter Cathy served many years as crew for frostbiting. During the summer there was the ECYRA (Eastern Connecticut Yacht Racing Association) circuit, racing larger boats around Long Island Sound. HIs favorite boat was a Morgan 24 named Bugler’s Holiday. In addition to racing, there were also many club cruises with the Essex Yacht Club and the Baldwin Yacht Club. The highlight of “rafting up” was when Ed would pull out his trumpet and play the “winch song”. In 1993, Ed retired after teaching for more than 25 years. He and Marsha moved to Essex and renovated his parent’s house which was situated right on the river in Essex Village. Ed and Marsha enjoyed an idyllic 30 years of retirement in Essex. Ed was able to become involved in many town and club committees. He became heavily involved in the Pettipaug Sailing School and spent a term as the Commodore of the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club as well as for the Pettipaug Yacht Club. Ed and Marsha also played in a tennis league up to three times a week well into their 80’s. Ed enjoyed time with the family. Cookouts on the lawn and walks to feed the ducks at the steamboat dock with his grandchildren were favorite activities. Many of Ed’s sailing competitors were also good musicians. At the end of a race day, they would raft up together and sit in the cockpit and jam. In time they formed a real band which they named the Corinthian Jazz Band. During the summers they were the house band at the Corinthian Yacht Club and during the winter they were a staple at Bill’s seafood in Westbrook. In August of 2023 Ed and Marsha made the most difficult decision in their lives, and sold the house in Essex to move to Covenant Living in Cromwell, CT. In May of 2025, Ed’s health started to significantly deteriorate and he was moved to full time nursing care in Pilgrim Manor. Since then, Marsha has been able to visit him every day, often multiple times, Karen, Cathy and their families have also been able to spend time with him regularly. Ed is survived by his loving wife of 63 years Marsha; his daughter Cathy, her husband Pedro and their daughters Abbey and Heather; his daughter Karen, her husband Reuben and their daughter Elizabeth. Funeral and burial arrangements will be private. The family will hold a celebration of Ed’s life at a later date.