Agreement between  mother-in-law and her favorite son-in-law.

1. I have to raise my hand, and then say whatever i want; Ed  had rights not to listen.

2. Every day favorite son-in-law gives a kiss to his favorite mother-in-law. If he did not do it yet, it means that day is not over.

We deeply missed him.

Simah, Marik.

I've tried 4 or 5 times to get the jumble of thoughts in my head organized into words that would honor your memory. I am absolutely gutted to know that you no longer walk among us in this world. We became friends due to circumstance... You were the lucky volunteer from your stage randomly selected to live and work in Abong Mbang becoming my first post-mate. After being au village for close to a year by myself, I was excited to know that there would be another person nearby who understood the ups and downs of post life and that if a good connection formed, we could lean on each other. I was away from post when you were dropped off and thus completely unaware of your arrival. So when a few of the local villagers told me that there was a new white man living 2 miles away and that he must be rich because he was a big man 😁, I thought a new Logger had moved to town and thought nothing more of it. Then you showed up at my door wearing your WV football jersey 🤣 and a huge smile and I was like, who is this?!?! The story goes on from there and becomes more colorful as we effortlessly created a solid friendship and shared sooo many laughs, stories of our lives, thoughts on the world and our place in it-- most often over plates of grilled fish and bottles of 33 down at the Petite Marché. I will forever remember your big hearty belly laughs (the way your eyes both squinted and twinkled when you were especially tickled), the corn ball jokes, easy going ways, you claiming that I was "ta femme" when I was being bothered on a bush taxi ride (and how we just snickered and laughed over the expressions on the faces of our fellow passengers), your one of a kind spirit, and the way you offered presence with anyone that you were engaging are just a few of many memories. I will miss you Ed. I will miss you... Your memory will forever be a blessing.

My deepest condolences to Dinah and Freya and to all who have known and loved you.

Oh Chicken Little. I have so many memories of our time in Pretoria that I don’t even know where to start. You were the best next door neighbor I ever had and I miss you. Rest easy my dear friend. 

- The Collaborator 

This is from Kelley Sponaugle by way of my mother.

Ed worked for the Soil Conservation Service a couple summers in college. They did a lot of surveys, and the SCS had a procedure for how to survey a curve that Ed thought was much too complicated. He insisted that they were doing extra work and there was a better way. 

He showed them that the better way got the same results. But bureaucracy prevailed. 

Ed kept persisting though, and eventually the SCS updated their procedure.

Ed wound up with the nickname "Bullhead".