Edwin Canning

Edwin Henry “Ed” Canning died abruptly Thursday December 6, 2012 from the side effects of cancer . His friends are invited to a visitation at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd, Monday, December 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. In the spring, a Celebration of his Life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Waco, at which time a memorial stone will be placed in the church's Memory Garden.



Ed was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on February 22, 1927, the oldest of three children of Henry A. Canning and Anna Louise Canning. His father left school after the eighth grade and, after a varied career, founded a successful Dodge dealership. His mother was a nurse and indelibly impressed upon her son the need for general access to health care. He spoke of them proudly.



Ed served in the U. S. Army and Army reserves. He attended Cleveland State University on the GI Bill and by working as a roofer, taxi driver, long haul truck driver, short order cook, salesman, and GM assembly line worker. In college, he met and married Pauline Larca. After graduation he worked for the Greyhound Bus Company. As his family grew, he went to night school and secured his law degree from Cleveland Marshall School of Law. Later he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as an attorney, first as a Field Examiner and then in the Office of Regional Counsel.



Ed transferred to the VA Regional Counsel in Waco Texas in 1988 to be near his brother and Army buddies, to teach English as a Second Language, and to have warm weather for flying planes and riding motorcycles. In Waco he met and married Betty Hall. After retiring from VA, he did EEO investigations, pro bono cases for Heart of Texas Legal Services, and mediations for the Dispute Resolution Center and Better Business Bureau.



He was a member of both the Ohio and Texas Bar Associations. He was a proud private pilot and member of the AOPA and EEA, flying his Beachcraft Musketeer throughout North America and to the Oshkosh air show. He also was an avid motorcycle rider, and enjoyed being unofficial photographer for Barger's motorcycle rides. For the past 20 years, he and Betty traveled frequently both within the U.S. and abroad. In the past few years, his activities declined as his health began to fail, and in July he was diagnosed with cancer.



Ed was predeceased by his parents, his first wife Pauline, his younger brother Robert, and - to his regret - many of his long time friends.



He is survived by his wife Betty; three children, Caroline Canning Galanty of Los Angeles, Charles H. Canning of Los Angeles, Edwin A. "Ted" Canning of Genosea, New York; five grandchildren, Mathew, Jack, and Melissa Galanty and Jonathan and James Canning; one sister Caroline C. Richards; sister in law M.J. Canning; and various cousins, nieces and nephews.



Special thanks go to Van Wehmeyer, M.D., for his incalculable support and guidance.