With deep sympathies for his children (my cousins Ed Jr. and
Patricia) I share the sad news that my Uncle Ed passed away
yesterday (Monday). He ret'd from CB&Q/BN as the longest serving
Gen. Yardmaster system-wide spending almost his entire 40+ yr career
@ Clyde. He did serve a brief time as a Trainmaster on the C&A but
staying closer to home got him back to Clyde.
A Chicago native, he started with the Q during WWII with a little
cheating on his age. It took a Chicago kid to handle Clyde & he
ruled it like it was his home (stories of buried foreign road
cabooses are evidence of what happened to those who violated
Q 'rules'). He also preferred nights despite having seniority to go
to days.
My love of the Burlington can largely be traced to the 2 family
mbrs who worked for the Burlington and now the last is gone. Every
visit to Downer's Grove (living in the same house for several
decades) meant hearing some railroad stories. Like so many RR'ers,
Uncle Ed was quick to give 100 & 1 reasons why it was a lousy job
but he loved it. (& made sure my cousin was a C.U.S. Redcap in the
summers while going to college). As I recall there were 2 entities
in life that were always 'those bums' in his eyes: the Q and the
Cubbies. (the White Sox did not exist). In his early yrs (before
thinning & greying of his hair) he was 'Red', then he became
Smitty. Aside from the trying times of keeping Clyde running after
dark, his biggest concern was the rise & fall of 'Fighting Irish'
football teams (this Smith was Irish, NOT English!). Probably
the best story I can share is that when he drove me up to a Clyde
tower, even after he was retired, it was very obvious when he walked
in everyone present knew him and respected him because he WAS a
tough railroader. And yet as a widowed octogenarian he never forgot
my birthday or Christmas with a Miles Kimball card. Rest in peace
Uncle Ed. Gerald
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