May 6, 1935 – January 7, 2022
Edward (Ed) Amos, aged 86 of Didsbury, Alberta passed away at the Didsbury Hospital on January 7, 2022 after a long, hard fought battle with cancer.
Ed was born on May 6, 1935 in Hamilton, Ontario to Andrew and Alice (Surridge) Amos. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra (Rapp); his children; Robert, Christopher (Ute), Jeff, Jennifer (Michael) Pongracz and Gordon (Jessi), 11 grandchildren, one great granddaughter and numerous nieces and nephews. Ed was predeceased by his parents, brother Robert and sister Andrea (MacMillan).
Ed was a founding member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band as a sousaphone player. He was grateful to attend the 70th anniversary reunion in 2017.
Ed joined the Royal Canadian Navy at 17 where he spent 23 years working in the weapons underwater trade. He often spoke fondly of his time at sea regaling friends and family with stories of being present for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in England, escorting her highness up the St. Lawrence upon her arrival in Canada, and being on the first Canadian destroyer to cross through the Panama Canal.
After retiring in 1974 as a CPO2, he decided that his time at sea was over and that it was time to conquer the land. He began farming with his wife on Vancouver Island and when the size of the farm no longer satisfied Ed’s dreams, they moved to Farmington, Nova Scotia. Ed and Sandra ran a greenhouse and vegetable farm operation (Maple Grove Greenhouses and Farm) in Farmington until 2011. During his career as a farmer, he attended numerous weekly Farmer’s Markets in Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Liverpool, Halifax and Hubbards.
It was in Nova Scotia that Ed found a love for the Mason’s. He became a member of Acacia Masonic Lodge in Bridgewater, NS moving to the Hillcrest Lodge in New Germany where he went on to become Master of the Lodge and District Deputy Grand Master for the Lodges in Lunenburg and Queens Counties. He continued his work in the Masonic Lodge after moving to Didsbury, AB in 2011 where he joined the King Hiram Freemasons Lodge.
Ed did not take to retirement - football isn’t played year-round you know! - and decided that he had too much left to do with his life. After his arrival in Alberta, where he and Sandra moved to be closer to children and grandchildren, he volunteered with the Didsbury High School Football Team for a couple of seasons, worked for Canadian Hail as a crop insurance adjuster from 2013 – 2019 and became the oldest graduate from Olds College, completing his Agronomy Certificate in 2018.
Ed enjoyed all time spent with his family and friends, fishing with his sons, travelling with Sandra, gardening, and his latest hobby woodworking. He spent much of his final summer and fall in his shop learning new skills.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ed’s memory to the Canadian Cancer Society or your local Freemason’s Lodge. Cremation will be followed by internment later in 2022 when family and friends can gather to celebrate Ed’s life and legacy. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., Didsbury entrusted with arrangements. 403-335-4773 Condolences may be made or viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com
