Edward Arthur Stahly
Wenatchee, Washington
December 10, 2007

Dr. Edward Arthur Stahly, 81, beloved husband, son, father, grandfather and friend, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on the morning of December 10, 2007. He was born on January 31, 1926, in Princeton, IL to Enos and Ada Stahly of Tiskilwa, IL. Ed grew up in Tiskilwa and graduated from Tiskilwa High School in 1944. He would often talk fondly of memories of his many friends in Tiskilwa and kept in contact with many of them all his life. He loved sports and participated n track, football and baseball in high school, as well as fished in the many creeks around Tiskilwa. Having grown up in Illinois, Ed was an avid Cubs fan. After high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served in World War II as a cryptographer in New Guinea, Manila and Cebu. He was stationed in Manila on VJ Day, July 4th. He returned to the U.S. and entered the reserves, serving in the Korean Conflict. In 1949, Ed began his studies at the University of Illinois and graduated with a BS degree in horticulture. He went on to earn a Phd. in horticulture in 1959 from the University of Maryland and was an honor graduate and a member of Phi Kappa Phi. It was during his college years, working summers in Peach Springs, CO, that Ed became an avid fly fisherman. In June, 1955, he married Virginia France, a fellow graduate student, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA. The couple resided in Hyattsville, MD, and Greenbelt, MD, while he completed his Phd. Ed and Virginia were blessed with three delightful children, Catherine Andrea (died in infancy), David Edward and Barbara Ann.

In 1964, Dr. Stahly transferred to the USDA Argricultural Research Center in Wenatchee and spent the rest of his career there researching tree fruit. He retired from the USDA in 1988 and led a full life of service. Ed was an active member of Saint Vincent DePaul and volunteered to drive and deliver meals to the elderly for Meals on Wheels. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need and enjoyed visiting with people. Ed especially enjoyed his Monday afternoon walks with Gene Yost, Mike Delaney and Jim Fountain (since deceased).

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Virginia, of the home; his son and daughter-in-law, David and Penny Stahly of Overland Park, KS, and their five children, Jenny, Shaendeen, Brittany, Kirsti and Sierra; and his daughter, Barbara Kepner of Dover, DE, and her two children, Kaitlyn and Alexandra; and his special cousin, Lois Milton, of Metarie, LA.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Wenatchee on Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. He will be buried in Tiskilwa, IL. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 625 S. Elliott, Wenatchee, WA 98801.