He went to be with his Heavenly Father on Thursday December 27, 2012. He passed peacefully at his home in Pasadena at the age of 89 years, 8 months and three days.
Edwin was known as "Buddy" for his whole life to his friends and relatives. He was the second of four sons born to Edwin A and Cora Ella Searle. He was preceded in death by his father, mother and brothers: Benjamin Walter and Rex Louis.
Buddy is survived by his wife Doris Dudley Searle; children, Bambi Wright and husband P.T., Edwin "Andy" and wife Jeanne, and Robin Higgins and husband Edward; grandchildren, Carrie Wright Brown and husband David, Lauren Searle Palmer and husband Kevin, Victoria Higgins Scarborough and husband Justin, Megan Higgins, Amy Searle and Colin Higgins; great-grandchildren Preston Thomas Brown and Dallas Dawn Palmer; brother Dr. Noel B. Searle and wife Beverly, their children Suzanne, Wynn, Annette; brother-in-law William Dudley, Jr. and wife Betty, their son and (unofficial grandson) Trey; and, sister-in-law Betty Searle West and son Rexie Searle.
Buddy and Doris were married November 15, 1948 and this past November marked 64 wonderful, happy years together. Except during WWII and a brief period working in El Paso, Buddy was a lifelong resident of the Greater Houston area. He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Pasadena and its Fellowship Sunday School Class.
Enlisting in the United States Navy on December 8, 1941 (the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor), Buddy was to serve during WWII, as a Gunners 1st Mate, on the U.S.S. Yorktown and U.S.S. Shangri-La. He was discharged December 1, 1945 as a Seaman 1st Class. For his service during WWII he was awarded numerous Navy Service Medals and Awards including the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Silver Star and two Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. Buddy was a “plank owner" as a member of the original crew which commissioned the U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) April 15, 1943.
Returning to civilian life he would soon find his way into a new field of business involving machines and data processing that was to mark the beginning of the "age of computers". After spending 17 years in the business side of computers working for Anderson Clayton Cotton Company, he would move to the world of education and teaching becoming one of Texas' first vocational teachers in data processing and computer programming. He taught in and helped "computerize" the Spring Branch School District. He retired from Spring Branch in 1988 with 28 years of service to that district and its students. During his tenure Buddy was recognized as one of the District's Teacher of the Year. After retiring, for five years he was a volunteer at Houston's VA Hospital.
Buddy was a true Texas version of the "Renaissance Man". In addition to his teaching and work in computers, he was a published poet, accomplished painter and photographer. He loved cooking, music and singing. He was an active outdoorsman enjoying hunting, fishing, swimming, and “treasure hunting" with his metal detector at the beach. Buddy along with Doris loved traveling this great country and toured almost all its major regions and cities. He enjoyed sports and especially playing Golf. Buddy's poem "On the Course Again" and an accompanying article he wrote was published in the November 1999 issue of the PGA Tour Partners Magazine.
He always enjoyed: a good joke, a playful game of cards, an outside game of catch (having coached his children for many years in Little League baseball), helping to pass on some of the techniques of his many talents, or offering just a helping hand, Buddy was loved by "kids" young and old. He dedicated his life to serving and loving his wife and family, as he did his God and Country. He wrote that without the love of God and Country "no civilization can survive.” Online memorial tributes may be placed at www.grandviewfunerals.com
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