A legacy of love, intellect & passion for knowledge

Edward Porter Felt, father, husband, son, mentor, friend to all, my eldest brother. How does one appropriately tell the story of someone taken from his family at only 41 years old…? Those who knew Ed appreciated his uniqueness. He transcended the intellectual boundaries of his profession while at the same time finding nothing more fulfilling than spending time with his family. While it would take someone far more versed in the world of computers than I to try to explain what it was that Ed did so well professionally, I would ask for your patience as I share some family memories and thoughts that give some insights into the man Ed was, and continues to be in our hearts. What made Ed so unique was his desire to understand. Nothing was too great or too small for him to take an interest in. He would get energized about a topic and then immerse himself in his quest for knowledge. If you happened to be standing nearby, good luck trying to keep up. Having a big brother like Ed made life interesting, particularly in academic settings. High school teachers would openly smirk at my test results, as if to say I was never going to best them, as Ed was often able to do was a common experience. Some younger brothers might resent this type of punitive attention, yet I always cherished it. At such a young age, I was already proud of the fact that my brother achieved such success. Whether he was trying to rewire our basement at the age of six, building a metal detector that he convinced my father to buy for my mother’s birthday, or helping to establish protocols for establishing internet connections through the telephone, Ed had a never-ending drive to succeed at any task he undertook. There are endless anecdotes about Ed’s intellectual gifts that would continue to amuse and inspire. Yet those gifts paled in comparison to what truly made him a success in his life. Ed cared about people. He was able to put people at ease and help them find answers to any type of challenge. He acted as a mentor to friends and family. Many people from all walks of life who encountered Ed looked to him for guidance. Ed was a great father who loved his children and family intensely and with no bounds…He knew that his greatest achievements in life would not be earned in the workplace. Ed’s greatest legacy is found in those very people from whom he was taken. His wife, his daughters, our entire family, and all those who knew Ed are better people because of the presence he played in our lives…. To watch him with his children was to watch love in its most pure sense. I miss my brother intensely. I miss his laugh, his love, and his leadership. Ed was taken from us in such a sudden and violent manner that I still find myself afloat in numbness, waiting for the nightmare to end…He was 41 years old…Yet I know that he wouldn’t want us to hate; he wouldn’t want us to focus on our pain. Ed would want us to look within ourselves with a clear mind and find our own peace. As we are now all well-reminded, life is too short. Ed’s life should inspire us to be the best we can, to take charge of our lives, enjoy what life has to offer, and never stop caring. I can think of no tribute to Ed greater than to say that his grandparents and my dad, all of whom he joined in ubiquity, would say: “Well done, we are proud”…A feeling we all share.