I met Ed while working at USC in the 1980's. At the time Ed was working for the School of Engineering supporting the use of computers by all the aspiring engineers. Ed "started" the micro-computer revolution at USC at a time when most engineering schools were using DEC-Vax technology for engineering curricula. Ed instantly "got it" that the personal computer would dominate computing in the future and predicted that the "mainframe was dead". To the chagrin of the main-framers on the corner of Jefferson and McClintock Ed was right.
By the time I moved to the Information Sciences Institute at USC Ed and I became closer. We both loved 50's and 60's Rock 'N Roll music. Ed was an expert. He could name every song title, the artist(s), and the year the song was a hit. Ed and his wife, Monique invited me and Nancy to concerts, especially the K-Earth 101 Legends of Rock 'N Roll epics. What a blast! We also went to smaller, more intimate performances at boutique bars and clubs -- I remember an especially fun night watching Al Stewart (I love "Year of the Cat"). We drove our Corvettes that night.
I never had much influence on Ed, but I think I might have had an impact in his decision to buy a Corvette. He purchased a 1992 Polo Green Metallic Corvette Coupe with the new LT1 engine.
Ed honored Nancy and me by being one of the groom's men at our wedding in 1992. David Shawaker was best man.
Our fondest memories of Ed are probably the "Male Bonding" outings and the infamous poker games. We started the Male Bonding Club (later nicknamed "MFB" -- you can figure it out!) when Howard Saperston invited me, Ed, David, and Gerry Fleischer to join him at his cabin at Mammoth Mountain. These outings became semi-annual events. In the Winter we would go skiing and in the Spring hiking and trout fishing. Gerry would spend hours cooking up his famous Gumbo recipe while the rest of us sat around drinking beer, telling stories of the craziness at USC, and smoking cigars. After dinner we would play poker into the early morning hours. Those were fabulous times.
Ed decided everyone needed a nickname -- even spouses. After Nancy and I were married we were pretty poor, so Nancy would bring discount coupons to all the group events. Ed's nickname for her was "The Coup". Ed was known as "The Mooner" (Note: I just want to be very clear that this didn't mean Ed was "mooning" anyone!).
Once I flew to Mammouth in my Varieze. The guys had all carpooled up together to Howard's cabin the night before. The next morning at the expected time of my arrival they drove down the hill to the Mammoth Airport to give me a proper greeting. Before 9-11 small airports were very accessible, so the guys were walking around staring at the clear sky of the Eastern Sierras looking for a tiny airplane in the distance. The airport manager came walking over to them to announce: "Gentlemen, you do realize you are standing on an active runway, don't you?" A few minutes later I landed the little Varieze on the narrow, but long Mammoth runway and as soon as I taxied off the active runway there were my buddies!
The Varieze at Mammoth Airport (L to R: Cary, Howard, Gerry, David, and Ed)
We decided that poker was best experienced on a more frequent basis. So monthly poker parties ensued on a rotating basis. Jim Moore, Joe Devinny, and Game Quan became regulars. Ed frequently won -- I always lost!
In 1993 our daughter, Canon, was born. The MFBers celebrated her arrival with gifts and a very nice party. Monique graciously agreed to be Canon's God Mother and participated in her christening. On the many visits they made to our home in Carlsbad we informed Canon that the visitors were "God Mother Monique and Driver Ed". The names stuck.
When Gerry married Carolyn the MFBers decided to put on an "ameateur hour" type performance for Jerry's guests during the reception in their home. As all of Gerry and Carolyn's friends and family gathered Monique played piano while Ed, David, Howard and I sang a modified rendition of "Moments to Remember" that we had composed a week earlier. The camaraderie was the perfect mix of affection, care, teasing, and laughter -- it was, of course, deep and loving.
Ed's birthday was May 4th. I sent a birthday card but didn't get the usual email reply. I didn't think much about it until later in the month when David called me to tell me of Ed's serious, sudden health problems. Then came troubling email messages. Then finally Monique let us all know that Ed died peacefully on Monday June 2nd.
I understand that a celebration of Ed's amazing life will be held at USC this summer, "Raise a Glass to Ed". Until then let me say, "Rest easy Mooner -- we loved you and we miss you!"
Cary Thomas, June 23, 2014
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