Ed Muderlak
 

It is my very sad occasion to inform the PGCA Membership of the death of my good friend Ed Muderlak. Ed passed away yesterday, Tues. 12/21, at 3pm at home in Durand IL after a long, difficult and courageous battle with cancer. Through his research, writings, and conversations, Ed did much to expand the base of knowledge connected with Parker Guns. True students of the marque owe much to him, and I am proud to have known him. May he rest in peace.

A man with a great passion for Parkers, and a loss to the collecting community. Thank you for the post Kevin, and my condolences.

So sorry to hear of this loss. The likes of Ed will never be replaced. He has done so much for the collecting community at large. I personally have learned much from his research & writings.

Ed,You will be missed!

You've said it well, I'd like to echo your sentiments.

I only met Ed once, and for that, know we lost a huge asset to the Parker Collecting community and knowledge-base. With my deepest sympathy and condolences to his surviving family and friends,

John

Kevin, Thank you for taking the time to post this sad news. I have been fortunate enough to have spent a little time in conversation with Ed. He was a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge for all things Parker. The collecting community has suffered a great loss. My thoughts and prayers go out to Nancy and his family.

Ed was certainly one of the Parker icons. As others have said, his vast knowledge which he was always eager to share with anyone who showed the least bit of interest in things Parker was encyclopedic. Thankfully we have his books and have copied and printed his communications with us. He hadn't finished his work as is evidenced in his signature "Investigation continues" but unfortunately "Further EDM sayeth naught."

It is sad news for the collecting community and especially for we lovers of Parkers.

May he rest in peace.

So sorry to hear of Ed's passing. Wish we'd have had more time to talk at The Vintage Cup. My sincere condolances to Nancy, the children and grandchildren. Ed will be missed.

Dave

I am sorry to hear this even though I knew the day was coming, my condolances to Nancy and Ed's family. He was a great source of knowledge. Eric

Would it be appropriate for someone to post an address to which we might send cards of condolence to Nancy?

Linda and I offer our sympathy to Nancy and her family. Our days spent together were very pleasant. Now I can claim full title to "PGCA Curmudgeon" rather than sharing it with Ed.

I don't know if it is something for the internet but his address is listed in the PGCA Membership Roster.

Yesterday was a sad day indeed ,to lose such a Fine Gentleman ! I had spoken to Ed on a few occasions and he was a wealth of knowledge and always very welcoming ,helpful and pleasant ! I am truly sorry to hear of his passing ,my Condolences to Eds Family ! Sincerely ; Russ Jackson

I met Ed only once, but we had numerous telephone conversations. He was generous with his knowledge of the Parker gun and old time American "shooting flying". My condolences to his family and friends.

A big loss for sure. I had the pleasure two yrs ago of bringing him up to my house and treating him to my seafood pasta and showing him my modest Parker collection when he and Nancy were traveling around Ak in their motor home. He gave me copies of his books enriched me with his extensive Parker lore knowledge. It was a very memorable evening. Nancy had gone south with medical issues and Ed was alone in the motor home next to a local hangar belonging to a neighbor just below me who is an old friend of and who, as a young man, used to rent a house from Ed. I flew in from my project 85mi away and dragged him up to the house for dinner and talk. It seemed an opportunity not to be passed up at the time. I gave him a caribou antler to go with the moose antler Troy had given him and he fabricated a 'moosibou' for his extensive trophy wall on his barn when he got home. He was an avid and successful bow hunter.

I met Ed twice at the Parker dinner in Easton, MD. The first time he was taking orders for the limited edition of "SHOOTING FLYING AND THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE" I ordered my copy and then one year later met him there again & had it autographed along with my copy of "PARKER GUNS, THE OLD RELIABLE". He presented himself to be the true gentleman that he was. I know that he had some problem with PGCA, but don't know the reasons. I envied him telling about he and Nancy cruising the Bahamas and the Carribean. That has been my dream for as long as I can remember. I extend to Nancy and his family my deepest condolences.

George

To say Ed was generous with his extensive Parker knowledge is a gross understatement! When I was just starting out learning about all things Parker about 10 or more years ago, I called him to simply order a few of his catalog reprints. We talked for over an hour!!!! We talked several times after both on the phone and in person but that first call left a lasting impression on me. May he rest in peace.

Ed was a close friend for many years, I'll mourn his passing more than most. Here's a few pictures to illustrate how Ed (I believe) would want to be remembered:


On one of our first trips to Louisiana paddling a pirogue down the bayou.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...0_0010_010.jpg

In the duck blind, ready for an afternoon hunt.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...2_0022_022.jpg

The last time I visited him at his home, shipping out the limited editions of the new book.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../Muderlak4.jpg

I first met Ed at the Vintagers a few years ago when we were just forming the AH Fox Collectors Association, a very nice fellow and supportive of our efforts, he will be missed by everyone in the collecting community.

Do it now, George, do it now. Don't wait until you can't do it anymore. The loss of people we have known for years brings an urgency to our dreams.

EDM
 

Thank you Kevin; I began to miss Ed the minute I heard of his death.

I will prepare a formal obituary for the Spring issue of Parker Pages. If anyone wishes to contribute a photo of Ed, or a memorial statement for the obituary, please send it to me at my regular e mail address, or by mail.

Austin W Hogan
PO Box 21
Piermont NH 03779

austin.w.hogan@valley.net

Austin,

Feel free to use any of the ones I've posted.


D

Fellers, the ranks of good gun writers is growing thin. First, it was Michael McIntosh and now Ed. Not many left who know what they're talking about and can scribble it on a piece of paper.

Thanks, Ed.

Ed never failed to get my attention wherever he posted. With literary verve and style, he had opinions and wasn't afraid to express them. But it's how we use our lives that determine the kind of men we are. Ed lived to a true standard of human values. He did not live as a pretender during a robust life; he burned brightly to the end. Our fraternity is smaller with his loss.

Well said King..

Some regulars are probably getting tired of this pic from a Maryland pigeon shoot about eight or nine years ago.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...x10cropped.jpg

EDM
 

Kevin said it as good as it could be said of Ed's passing.

Ed and Nancy overnighted at our home several time and always was an evening to remember ala Makers Mark or later in the evening in my gun room for a reinforcement of Oban single malt.

What a huge loss of gun and hunting lore shooting knowledge.

God Bless Ed and Nancy thanks for sweetness you brought to our home.

Roger "Coger" Giles

Thank you, Dave, for the great shot of the "Parker Researchers". For those that don't know, the pigeon shooters are Ed Muderlak, Kevin McCormack, Bill Murphy, Dave Noreen. The setting is a mid winter flyer shoot at the South Ridge Flyers Club, Taylorsville, Maryland, about twenty miles directly north of my house. Guns are probably Ed's old lightly choked BH, now owned by Destry Hoffard, Kevin's outrageous BHE very early vent rib trap, Murphy's PHE crossover stocked vent rib trap, and one of Dave's wonderful long barrel Foxes, probably the Philadelphia Arms Company C Grade safetyless pigeon gun. The guns are much more impressive than the shooters. Ed was a happy guy that day.

Well, You guys have said it all, Ed lived life to the fullest! something we all need to try and do. I will remember him every winter day by the fire reading his books,R.I.P.

Ed Muderlak
 

My most sincere sympathy to Ed's wonderful wife Nancy, his children, and grandchildren ... The sporting world and the PGCA has lost a GIANT who's knowledge and generosity knew no bounds. He would have celebrated his 70th birthday on Christmas Eve ... I admired Ed because he pulled no punches and suffered no fools. We met through my passion for Parker shotguns and he became my mentor ... But more than that, he became a cherished personal friend that I truly loved as a brother ... Like Destry said, "I will mourn him more than most," but that may be the understatement of the twenty first century ... Rest in Peace my friend ... Rest in Peace.

Jim Kucaba ... Phoenix, Arizona

I seem to recall Ed was using his straight gripped GHE this cold day in 2002. Not a great picture but here is Ed taking care of business --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ttheFore01.jpg

Wow. Another great picture. Dave, what were you shooting that day? Do you have some more pictures you can post of that day "On the Hill"?

I don't know them but I'll surely send a card to Mrs. Muderlak. I found the address on another post. Sorry to hear about your friend, Respectfully, Jerry Andrews

Ed
 

RIP

Hick

I was using the Parker Bros. look alike Philadelphia Arms C-grade. I only have one other picture from that day, but it is not of Ed.

Scott K. took EDM's former CHE duck hunting today, the gun that was featured on the cover of the dust jacket of "The Old Reliable". He took three greenheads, a black and a Canada goose with 6 shots. A guiding hand today on the barrels perhaps.

For those interested here is the link to Ed's Obituary, too soon gone but he lived a very interesting life.

http://www.mccorklefuneralhome.com/i...200&Itemid=284

Well said Sir--
 

-- George, my friend- IMO- for a true Southern gentleman such as yourself to also bestow that favorable comment upon EDM speaks volumes. I have a copy of his fine book- "Parker Guns, The Old Reliable" and I admire his scholarly writing style. I also agree on his collecting mileu- own and shoot fewer but those Parkers- original and unaltered as much as possible- also his choice of the 12 bore.

I never met EDM- but my sympathy on his untimely passing to his wife and family and many friends, both here on the PGCA and elsewhere- And I look forward to seeing you in April 2011 George!!!:bigbye:

Well said, Francis. Ed was one of those truly unique individuals who marched to the beat of his own drummer. There are far too few folks around like that now, and more's the pity. I, too, will look forward to meeting up with you at the Southern.

Best Regards, George

I can see a EDM memorial shoot comming on, I hope at the Vintagers.

Rog