Ed was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War and serving in the United States Air Force. During his service to our country he was stationed in Texas, Alaska, New York, Florida, North Dakota, Missouri, Korea, and North Africa. He retired from the Air Force after serving as a ballistic missile analyst and working with the Atlas rocket boosters in the Space Program at Cape Canaveral. After retiring, Ed continued to work in the Space program for both Chrysler and North American Rockwell. He then moved on to work as a “cold war patriot” with robotics for Union Carbide in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Ed’s hobby for many years was building and flying remote controlled airplanes and helicopters. Turning his hobby into a job, Ed retired to open Tennessee Model Hobbies where it became the largest model hobby shop in the state of Tennessee. Trying to retire once again, he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana where in between “retiring” he did electrical work on river boats. Totally retired to Florida, Ed wrote a book based on his knowledge of rockets, bars, and the love of a good cigar.
Ed was the proud father of six children from his first wife, Betty Ham. He is survived by Rue Thornton, Laura (husband Don) Snyder, Edwin Ham, Jr., Nancy Ballard, grandchildren Michelle Morrison, Paula Sullivan, Wayne Thornton, Amy Mershawn, Matthew Kimbro, Darryl Ballard, great-grandchildren Nick Thornton, Mason Mershawn, Holli Snyder and one great-great grandson Lincoln Thornton, and his last love Norma Harr. Ed was preceded in death by daughters Joan Stallings and Janet Kimbro.
A private burial service will be held for family and friends.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5