Edward Summer passed away on Nov. 13, 2014 from cancer. There was a long article about him in the Buffalo News, Nov. 19, 2014. Ed became a well known writer, artist, filmmaker and was the founder of the Buffalo Film Festival.
It was through this forum that I got into communications with Ed for roughly 2 months prior to his death.
I spotted a social message link that Ed eventually responded to with an email address.
He wrote me that he was no longer leaving his address - We began a biweekly phone meeting. He let me know that he had an illness of some sort that requires a home health care aide but would not reveal the extent of the condition. As a result I stopped pressing and resumed the conversations we had probable 25 years previously when we lost contact via changed / misplaced emails and phone numbers.
The things I can share are that he had apparently been in a wonderful relationship for 18 Years with Rene. That they had just moved from their prior apartment as the developer who purchased the building had made them a cash offer to leave that was just too good to ignore. The new place is on Central Park West in NYC. I was uninformed as to the prognosis and had contemplated an Acela train run from nearby Boston Mass to pay a visit when Ed was on the mend. Obviously, it did not take place.
I highly encourage classmates to catch up with old friends My wife Joanne and I have had the experience of getting together with old time friends . When we eventually sit down and chat, those discussion pick up as though it it had been just a few weeks wince we last saw each other which is often many many years since we last saw each other.
Our discussions involved trips during the KWSH days to the Circle Arts Theater in Buffalo to see foreign films. The film festivals he ran on weekend evenings in the basement of his home in Kenmore. I did recall his patents complaining about his bedroom and other portions of the house that we jam packed with comic books<g>.
We also spoke of our meetings over the decades.
One of the main things I will always treasure about these discussions with Ed was that he remembered the names of both of our children, asked specific questions about them and items he spotted in their characters as youngsters ... wondering where their tendencies led them.
Ed was very complementary towards me during our recent discussions. Noting things he spotted in me while we ere in High School together, referencing areas of strength in me that were perhaps not as strong in him. It really causes me to think of my standard interactions with those around me these days. Do I pay those kind of complements to them these days. Would I even contemplate those positive, reinforcing actions if I were in the last days of my own life as opposed to focusing on myself.
One visual image I will retain of Ed was the picture at his Parents home. the rather large Arnold Schwarzenegger in full Conan the Barbarian Costume with his arm over the shoulder of the somewhat diminutive in height Ed Summer. The Edward sumer who was actually quite huge in that he convinced the family of the Author of the Conan novels and owners of the manuscripts to allow a movie with the proviso that Ed was there as consultant to make sure of a true development of the Character in the movie.
Ed is and will continue to be that Giant of a creative force and more importantly as a friend.
I knew Ed our last two years in Ken West. My friend Joe and I mostly called him Eddie.He was so smart with quite a quick wit. Over the years I wondered what he was doing. I was not surprised that he was such a success in the arts and anything creative. I'm so sorry to hear of his passing.
I added this to Ed's profile page earlier, but thought I would copy it here.
It breaks my heart to hear of Ed's passing. We were good friends and I communicated with him from time to time, the last being just before our reunion. I had hoped to see him then, but he didn't read the message through Facebook until after our event. Rest in peace, dear Ed.
The image of Ed and Arnold was obtained by following Robert Podd's Google clue to a blog. The blog states that the image is courtesy of Ed Summer; so he, or his estate, more than likely owns the copyright. I saved the image from the web page and cleaned up the color just a smidge. The Blog link is here:
I did not know Ed as well as some of you. I was in his home when we were younger, prior to high school. And, we were on the stage crew together at Ken West and, I think, in junior high.
There is an essentially identical obituary on the web site of Antioch College as that which was published in the Buffalo News.
Thank You, Robert Podd and David Ralph, for posting this information about Ed. As I knew him as Eddie when we were kids, I lost touch with him when my parents moved. I am blown away by all his accomplishments, but not surprised as he was always very smart, in school. We were in Lindbergh Elementary and Kenmore Jr High together. RIP Ed, you left too soon, but filled two lifetimes with all your accomplishments!
We have buttomed up our property, loaded wood in the wood stove, snow is falling and I am curling up to do a bit of reading in the book Ed Summer edited.
I pass along that it is available on amazon.com is a wide range of prices based on condition and type of binding. The graphics in all editions are the same.
Uncle Scrouge McDuck - His Life and Times
writen and drawn by Carl Banks
Begins with "An Appreciatiopn" writen by George Lucas
and, of course Edited by Edward Summer
I treasure my copy as part of Ed is always in the house.
I need to correct that it is Carl Barks with an "r" rather than an "n". I was reading an interview in the book that Ed had conducted with Carl Barks and realized I had perhaps misled folks who might try to track down a copy of the book.
I was deeply saddened to learn that Ed had died. It came as a shock as I hadn't realized that he had been ill. Everyone's comments here have been an inspiring read. Ed was a truly gifted and creative person.whom we were so fortunate have known. Ed was a true friend who extended warmth and caring to his friends. After our 30th reunion, Ed and I were in touch for some time. When my daughter moved to NYC, Ed got in touch with her and they too became friends. Sadly, we lost touch with each other. I had hoped to reconnect with him at our 50th, and I was quite disappointed that he wasn't there. We did connect sporadically on Face Book.We, and the world, have lost a wonderful person. I thank Robert Podd for his informative posts. .
Robert Podd
It was through this forum that I got into communications with Ed for roughly 2 months prior to his death.
I spotted a social message link that Ed eventually responded to with an email address.
He wrote me that he was no longer leaving his address - We began a biweekly phone meeting. He let me know that he had an illness of some sort that requires a home health care aide but would not reveal the extent of the condition. As a result I stopped pressing and resumed the conversations we had probable 25 years previously when we lost contact via changed / misplaced emails and phone numbers.
The things I can share are that he had apparently been in a wonderful relationship for 18 Years with Rene. That they had just moved from their prior apartment as the developer who purchased the building had made them a cash offer to leave that was just too good to ignore. The new place is on Central Park West in NYC. I was uninformed as to the prognosis and had contemplated an Acela train run from nearby Boston Mass to pay a visit when Ed was on the mend. Obviously, it did not take place.
I highly encourage classmates to catch up with old friends My wife Joanne and I have had the experience of getting together with old time friends . When we eventually sit down and chat, those discussion pick up as though it it had been just a few weeks wince we last saw each other which is often many many years since we last saw each other.
Our discussions involved trips during the KWSH days to the Circle Arts Theater in Buffalo to see foreign films. The film festivals he ran on weekend evenings in the basement of his home in Kenmore. I did recall his patents complaining about his bedroom and other portions of the house that we jam packed with comic books<g>.
We also spoke of our meetings over the decades.
One of the main things I will always treasure about these discussions with Ed was that he remembered the names of both of our children, asked specific questions about them and items he spotted in their characters as youngsters ... wondering where their tendencies led them.
Ed was very complementary towards me during our recent discussions. Noting things he spotted in me while we ere in High School together, referencing areas of strength in me that were perhaps not as strong in him. It really causes me to think of my standard interactions with those around me these days. Do I pay those kind of complements to them these days. Would I even contemplate those positive, reinforcing actions if I were in the last days of my own life as opposed to focusing on myself.
One visual image I will retain of Ed was the picture at his Parents home. the rather large Arnold Schwarzenegger in full Conan the Barbarian Costume with his arm over the shoulder of the somewhat diminutive in height Ed Summer. The Edward sumer who was actually quite huge in that he convinced the family of the Author of the Conan novels and owners of the manuscripts to allow a movie with the proviso that Ed was there as consultant to make sure of a true development of the Character in the movie.
Ed is and will continue to be that Giant of a creative force and more importantly as a friend.
Robert Podd
I did find that photo on ine but was unable to paste it into this site.
A google search for:
photo edward summer and arnold schwarzenegger
shows the image of Ed and Arnold together.
Gloria Chase (MacGamwell)
I knew Ed our last two years in Ken West. My friend Joe and I mostly called him Eddie.He was so smart with quite a quick wit. Over the years I wondered what he was doing. I was not surprised that he was such a success in the arts and anything creative. I'm so sorry to hear of his passing.
Gloria Chase MacGamwell
Susan Heaps (Allen)
I added this to Ed's profile page earlier, but thought I would copy it here.
It breaks my heart to hear of Ed's passing. We were good friends and I communicated with him from time to time, the last being just before our reunion. I had hoped to see him then, but he didn't read the message through Facebook until after our event. Rest in peace, dear Ed.
Nov 27 at 9:26 AM
David Ralph
David Ralph
The image of Ed and Arnold was obtained by following Robert Podd's Google clue to a blog. The blog states that the image is courtesy of Ed Summer; so he, or his estate, more than likely owns the copyright. I saved the image from the web page and cleaned up the color just a smidge. The Blog link is here:
http://theporporbooksblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/conan-phemonenon.html
I did not know Ed as well as some of you. I was in his home when we were younger, prior to high school. And, we were on the stage crew together at Ken West and, I think, in junior high.
There is an essentially identical obituary on the web site of Antioch College as that which was published in the Buffalo News.
Molly Dibble (Anderson)
Thank You, Robert Podd and David Ralph, for posting this information about Ed. As I knew him as Eddie when we were kids, I lost touch with him when my parents moved. I am blown away by all his accomplishments, but not surprised as he was always very smart, in school. We were in Lindbergh Elementary and Kenmore Jr High together. RIP Ed, you left too soon, but filled two lifetimes with all your accomplishments!
Robert Podd
We have buttomed up our property, loaded wood in the wood stove, snow is falling and I am curling up to do a bit of reading in the book Ed Summer edited.
I pass along that it is available on amazon.com is a wide range of prices based on condition and type of binding. The graphics in all editions are the same.
Uncle Scrouge McDuck - His Life and Times
writen and drawn by Carl Banks
Begins with "An Appreciatiopn" writen by George Lucas
and, of course Edited by Edward Summer
I treasure my copy as part of Ed is always in the house.
Robert Podd
I need to correct that it is Carl Barks with an "r" rather than an "n". I was reading an interview in the book that Ed had conducted with Carl Barks and realized I had perhaps misled folks who might try to track down a copy of the book.
Janet Grampp (Sander)
I was deeply saddened to learn that Ed had died. It came as a shock as I hadn't realized that he had been ill. Everyone's comments here have been an inspiring read. Ed was a truly gifted and creative person.whom we were so fortunate have known. Ed was a true friend who extended warmth and caring to his friends. After our 30th reunion, Ed and I were in touch for some time. When my daughter moved to NYC, Ed got in touch with her and they too became friends. Sadly, we lost touch with each other. I had hoped to reconnect with him at our 50th, and I was quite disappointed that he wasn't there. We did connect sporadically on Face Book.We, and the world, have lost a wonderful person. I thank Robert Podd for his informative posts. .