Some people called him Eddie; some called him Larry.  My brother and I called him Daddy, then Dad.  To Ryan, Jarrin, Alison, Tiffany and Travis he was Grandpa.  To my mom he was Honey, Love of my life, and the Greatest man in the world.  He called her Kitten.

     Born to Agnes Kyle and Edward Sr., Ed grew up in Boscawen, NH.  He was voted most likely to succeed by the Penacook high school senior class of 1966.  By my definition he was a success in everything he did because he did everything with the highest of integrity.

     Ed enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1967 and trained as a Machinist's Mate.  He was stationed in New Bedford, MA on the CGC Escanaba.  Ed received a citation for "exceptionally meritorious service" for his pariticipation in several dramatic search and rescue missions and was recognized by his fellow crew for outstanding performance.  He was honorably discharged in 1973.

     While stationed in New Bedford, Ed met and fell in love with his wife of 43 years, Ilidia.  He was the first American to marry into her large, staunchly Christian,  Cape Verdean family.  They began life together in Providence, RI, but soon fled the craziness of the city to the serenity of rural NH for the sake of their two young children.  In fact, every move he made was for the sake of his family.

     When we lived in Boscawen he worked two jobs and went to night school for heating and oil.  Somehow he still found time to build an enclosed porch addition to our trailer and help Mrs. Meyers, the elderly woman across the road.

     When we moved to Franklin he decided raise rabbits and pigs.  We had an enormous garden with everything from corn and peas to rhubarb and radishes.  He still worked, he still went to school, and he still found time to finish a room in the basement.  But he always dreamed of something more.

     Ed and Ilidia traded the garden of vegetables for a garden of roses.  The Blossom Shop.  They grew the business from a flower room to a supplier of first class corsages, boutiners, and helium balloons.  Ed would drive to the Boston flower market at 4AM to get the freshest blooms.  The shop and the house received a complete remodel and the house gained a backyard pool installed, of course, by the family.

     Ed's next endeavour was to get his NH real estate license.  Ever the entrepenuers, Ed and Lidia bought and renovated several rental properties.  Ed was also a member of the Rotary club, a deacon at Franklin Baptist Church, and at one point was asked to run for mayor.  When speaking of it later in life he said he declined because it would not have been good for the family.

     The house on Freedom drive was Ilidia's favorite.  It started life as a two bedroom and ended up with four.  It also presented new renovation challenges as Ed thought there were a few too many of those giant oak trees in the backyard.  So he chopped them down and burried the stumps eight feet underground.

     By year three at this property there was talk of the Sweeney's relocating yet again.  This time our sights were set on the sunshine state.  We visited several times and fell in love with the weather.  While Dan was on his own and already on his way, Ed and Ilidia sold Freedom Drive and rented half a duplex so I could finish school and graduate with my friends. 

     Ed adapted his skills again to meet the demands of the environment.  He continued his education in gas service and installation.  Unfortunately this is also when a lifetime of hard work began to catch up with him.  He was injured on the job with Lovelace Gas, shortly after had a heart attack and bypass surgery, and eventually had to retrain for a different field.  He was so respected by the company, Gary Lovelace tried to rehire him for fifteen years.  Gary told me that years after Ed left he went to a customer's house, opened the spa heater panel and said, "Ed Sweeney was here."  His workmanship spoke to his character, always.