Edwin Lionel McAuliffe

Edwin “Ed” Lionel Zander McAuliffe, 97, devoted, father, grandfather and great grandfather (affectionately known as “Grampa”) and loving husband of 62 years to his high school sweetheart Patricia “Pat” Keiffer McAuliffe, peacefully departed from us on May 7, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on August 14, 1928, in New Orleans and raised in Old Metairie, (in the same neighborhood where Pat was raised) to Daniel “Mac” and Catherine “Kitty” McAuliffe, who immigrated from Ireland. Ed graduated from Metairie High and from Loyola University with a degree in business. Upon graduation from Loyola, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he achieved rank of Captain. Later, Ed worked beside his father in various entrepreneurial business endeavors and then ran a Gulf Oil service station in New Orleans. Taking a position with Gulf Oil corporate, after stops in Little Rock and Baton Rouge, Ed and Pat eventually moved to Houston where he spearheaded the company’s merchandising and incentive travel program for Gulf Oil jobbers and dealers. Ed spent a fulfilling career planning and coordinating national and international travel each year for hundreds of Gulf Oil employees to Europe, Bermuda, Hawaii and many destinations in between. Once settled in Houston, Ed and Pat immersed themselves in their community, Church, Boy Scouts and their kids’ schools, but the center of their focus was raising their four children – the joy of their life. Ed shared his love of travel with Pat and his family travelling the world together. His family will always treasure the family trips whether traveling in the back of their station wagon to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the summer, camping in a pop-up camper, going sailing on Lake Travis and Galveston Bay or on a cruise across the Atlantic.

Ed’s selfless love was always directed at Pat, his four children, grandchildren and his entire extended family. Pat was the apple of his eye, and he adored her. Ed and Pat were inseparable, and they had truly had a “story book” marriage that we all aspire to have. Ed, the epitome of a Southern gentleman, was always thinking of others and making everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. Known for his infectious laugh and dry wit, he had a way of connecting with people. Ed treated everyone with love and respect, showed a genuine interest in others and had an excellent memory for remembering details about the people he met. He was a positive, glass half full type of person, even in his final days with his caregivers. Ed was so many things and almost too many to list: An Eagle Scout, a Captain in the Marine Corps, a Scoutmaster, Sunday school teacher, an avid reader, a sailor, a creative and design-oriented person, a talented photographer, an early adopter of technology, one of the first people to own an Apple MAC computer when it was first released. Even at age 97, Ed used his iPad, a iPhone, Instagram and Facebook accounts with the skill and understanding of someone 70 years younger. Most importantly, Ed possessed a tremendously strong Catholic faith and led by quiet example for his entire family. He never missed Mass, and he and Pat would find the nearest Catholic church while traveling the world to attend Sunday Mass. Over several

decades, he attended the Jesuit Manresa Retreat House outside of New Orleans for a men’s retreat with his father-in-law Popsie and other family members, where he made many lifetime spiritual memories and connections.

In 1990, Pat and Ed packed up their life in Houston and moved to Dallas to “retire” close to Erika and two of their grown children. They ended up starting a well-respected marketing company with their daughter, Kim, The McAuliffe Group, which they ran for 10 years. Later in life, Ed and Pat moved to The Tradition on Lovers Lane, where they kindled many new and deep friendships in a very short period, who became like a second family to them.

After Pat’s passing in 2016, Ed was blessed a second time with a loving and caring companion in Gloria Hart, who also resides at The Tradition. Whether having a glass of wine at happy hour with other residents or dinner with friends in the dining room or traveling with Gloria’s family to their getaway in East Texas, they enjoyed one another’s company. Their friendship and love, after losing their own spouses of over 50 years, was a true blessing to Ed and to our entire family. We will always be forever grateful to Gloria for making Ed’s life full and happy.

Ed is survived by his four children, Kim McAuliffe (Hal Price), Daniel J. McAuliffe, Michael D. McAuliffe in Dallas and Mark E. McAuliffe (Liz) in Bryan, Tx. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, Erika Orbin (Nathan) and their children Molly and Jackson, Matthew P. McAuliffe and his fiancé Salvatore Gargiulo, Jude McAuliffe, Jonathan McAuliffe, Patrick McAuliffe, Mac McAuliffe and his daughter Aubrey and Luke McAuliffe (Taylor) and their son Cole. Ed was preceded in death by his wife Patricia K. McAuliffe, his parents, Daniel J. and Catherine W. McAuliffe, and his two brothers, Ernest and Kenneth McAuliffe. There will be a visitation at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2026, in the chapel at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, located at 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75225. A Mass of Christian Burial for Ed will be held on Friday, May 29,2026 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Rita Catholic Church, located at 12521 Inwood Road, Dallas, Texas 75244. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Edwin L. McAuliffe can be made to The Jesuit Manresa Retreat House (www.manresala.org).