Edwin Foster Gambrell was born as Edwin Wilton Foster IV on the Fourth of July in 1943 in Dallas, Texas, to Peggy Rawley Gambrell and Edwin Wilton Foster III. Ed’s father heroically died in combat during WWII. Following the war, Peggy married Roderick Dhu Gambrell, Jr., and Ed was adopted by Rod. Ed passed away on October 31, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the age of 81.
Ed is preceded in death by his parents, his son Scott Foster Gambrell, and his granddaughter Sophia Marie Knape. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 34 years, Virginia Gambrell; children, Eric (Elizabeth) Gambrell, Todd (Deanna) Gambrell, Antoinette (Peter) Knape, Patrick (Colette) Bryan; grandchildren, Eleanor, Luke, Sarah Rose, Nathan, Alex, Calvin, McKenna, Declan, Keira, Ronin, and Connor.
Ed grew up in Dallas and graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School and, proudly, from Texas A & M University. Immediately upon graduating from college, Ed began his career at the Dow Chemical Company. While at Dow, he worked all over the country for almost 40 years, serving in several executive functions and receiving numerous awards. Prior to his retirement in 2002, he served as a Business Group President, in which he led the team in all aspects of Dow’s acquisition of Union Carbide and served as a member of the Corporate Operating Board. Ed enjoyed many years of retirement, being with and traveling extensively with Virginia. He especially enjoyed spending time with and spoiling all of their many grandchildren. Ed was a caring, loving, and generous husband, father and grandfather. The annual trips to Mackinac Island with their grandparents will be etched into the memory of each grandchild. Ed will be missed by all those who knew him.
Memorial services will be held at 2pm on Monday, November 4, 2024, at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Funeral Home, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.