Obituary of Edwin Wade

EDWIN “ED” M. WADE

STERLING- Edwin “Ed” M. Wade, 86, of Sterling, died, Thursday, November 9, 2017 at Regency Care of Sterling, after a short illness.

    Ed was born August 25, 1931 in Sterling, the son of Loren A. and Ada (Jennings) Wade. He married Lois Foulds on October 28, 1951 in Sterling. Ed Attended Stone School on Freeport Road, Sterling High School, Hesston College and Bible School, Goshen College, School of Advanced Transportation.   Retired from R.B. & W. as Traffic Manager  and was a Realtor for 10 years.   Past member of Whiteside County Board of Realtors.  Past board member of Self Help Enterprises. Sang in the Church Choir, The  Barbershop Chorus,  The Buccaneer - Barbershop Quartet, The Contentment’s Gospel Duet with Diana Kophamer, sang at many funerals and weddings,  Member of Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rock River Transportation Organization, Church Choir, Bell Choir, Soloist, and song leader.  Elder at Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church , Past Sunday School Teacher, Youth Leader and Trustee and assisted doing many other things at church. Liked to play Keyboard, restore old cars , "fix things" and collect coins. Volunteer for Christ Lutheran School  and  CLS Thrift Shop and Messiah Church. Ed enjoyed spending time with his family, and vacationing at Big Maiden Lake in Wisconsin.    

   “My desire was to lift hearts of God's People and all people in a time of darkness, in their lives, to see the comfort and reassurance of the hope we have in our Savior Jesus Christ. I have tried to do this in Gospel singing.”

    Survivors include his wife Lois of Sterling; two daughters, Kathryn DuFour of Sheboygan, WI and Patricia (Tim) Mayer of Sheboygan, WI; one son, Edwin (Debbie) M Wade, II of Sterling; one brother Wayne (Judith) Wade of Pompano Beach, FL; six grandchildren, Emily (Jacob) Vanderheyden of St. Paul, MN, Taylor (Bryan) Schmaling of Chicago, C.J. (Kara) Wade of Sterling, Betony (Jake) Kilberg of Rock Falls, Amanda Mayer and Dylan Mayer of  Sheboygan, WI; two great-grandchildren, Quentin Wade and Loey Vanderheyden.

    He was preceded in death by one son-in-law, Tim DuFour and two brothers, Cecil Wade, and Lester Wade.

       Funeral services will be held at10 AM Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, with Pastor Kirk Neugebauer, officiating. Burial will be at Oak Knoll Memorial Park, Sterling. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Monday, at the Schilling Funeral Home and Cremation, Sterling.   

     A memorial has been established to Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church and Christ Lutheran School.

     Condolences may be sent to www.schillingfuneralhome.com.