We first met Eddie through Nancy. I was a student at the University of Maryland where Nancy taught at the time. I worked in the faculty office and would book appointments for students to get career advice from Nancy. We would often chat and after six months or so, she invited my then boyfriend, John, and I to dinner at the home she shared with Eddie in DC. The four of us have been friends since.

Eddie had THE best stories and whether he was sharing a tale from his college days or telling us what he had got up to the day before, he would have us gripped. He had this rock star quality, with a lifestyle steeped in experience and adventure, yet a more grounded and true to himself character you would never meet. 

Nancy and Eddie have always been great friends to us. We have crashed on their couch so many times over the years. We even crashed on the couch in their hotel room one New Year in London. They came to our wedding, which is where this picture was taken which I love because they both looked like extras who they have wandered in from the set of La Dolce Vita. We have continued to crash together in various locations since then- Stratford, Dublin, Bromley and Frostburg to name a few - and despite living in different countries have managed to see each other with relative regularity over the years. We were always easy in each other’s company and picked up where we left off no matter how big the gap.

They have got to know our families too. Eddie always asked after 'the vicar' (my dad), and come to think of it, my parents have crashed on their couch, too. 

We have always admired the relationship Nancy and Eddie shared. They gave each other the space they needed to develop as individuals. Eddie was always supportive of Nancy’s career and knew her unstoppable desire to study was a beast which needed regular feeding. She in turn respected the place golf and the cats had in his life. They would then reconnect over late nights, cards, prime rib, friends and crap telly.

The world is definitely a less spectacular place without our rock star in it. He had an unforgettable voice and a smile/smirk where he twisted one side of his mouth slightly, which just screamed mischief. He was one of a kind and he remained true to himself and loyal to those around him to the end of his too short life, always with Nancy at its centre. We are very grateful for many years of friendship Eddie and for always letting us crash on your couch. We'll miss you.

At the end of 1982 I was called back to my home in Argentina to attend personal family business and was absent for about 10 months. During that time I was lucky to get many letters from friends, and I remember Tom Meenan, sounding both hopeful and wary, writing that “there is a new member in our group, and his name is Eddie.” But it was many more months before I met him, and when I did he was quiet, friendly, and stayed close to Nancy. Having no place to stay when I returned, Nancy generously let me bunk with her for a while, and I watched their early courtship through the window where they’d sit close together on the grey cement steps of the building’s entrance, and whisper with an occasional giggle from Nancy and a high pitched exclamation from Eddie.What I loved most about Eddie was the blatant honesty of himself and everything around him. The lack of artifice gave you the freedom to get huffy with him without hating him, to laugh at his observations, to tease him (he hated that which made it even more fun) and, in turn, take any truths he threw your way because they were given without malice (maybe sometimes without tact but that was Ed). It was refreshing. And if he was super cranky you could just ignore him…he didn’t get offended.Our daughter Lauren, who knew him all her life (and she’s now 31) was very taken with Eddie because of the ease with which she could talk to him, and was always amused at what came out of his mouth. She, as well as all of us, really never wanted to believe that he’d leave us so soon. I miss his hearty laugh, his indignant exclamations, his expression “That xxxx is an IDIOT!”, having him at the table for our traditional New Year’s Eve dinner outings, his love for Nancy, and so many other things. I hope he finds a good bagel wherever he is now!