Edward William Waterous, Sr.

Edward William Waterous, Sr. of Merrillville, Indiana, passed away peacefully on May 24, 2024, surrounded by his family. Ed was born on June 15, 1943, in Berwyn, IL to Harry and Lydia (Tymick) Waterous. He graduated Brother Rice High School in 1961 and St. Procopius College (Benedictine College) in 1965 with a B.S. in Mathematics. Ed began his 34-year career with U.S. Steel as a management trainee in the nascent information technology field. A proponent of higher education, he returned to school late in his career, fulfilling a personal goal by earning his MBA from Purdue University – Northwest. In his youth, Ed got into plenty of mischief with his four brothers – Harry, Bob, Jim and Dan – and doted on his younger sister Cathy. During childhood family trips to Delevan, WI, he developed a love for fishing, which eventually led to storied annual fishing excursions to Hayward, WI, with some of his closest friends. His kids and grandkids learned to cast a rod early on, although perhaps the most useful skill imparted was how to tell a good fish story. Always an athlete, Ed coached youth softball for many years and played in multiple men’s leagues, including one that notably ended their games at the Fifth Quarter Tap in Homewood, IL, where he lived for several years. Ed relished cheering for his kids and grandkids through the years, sometimes providing advice based on deep statistical analysis while other times offering wise guidance such as “just get out there and run you’re a$$ off!” Ed’s most significant hobby was stamp collecting. He belonged to several philatelic organizations, including the Park Forest Stamp Collectors Club, the Lundy Collectors Club, the American Philatelic Society, and The Collectors Club of Chicago, where he served as a board member and head librarian for many years. Several of his collections won medals at local, national, and international competitions, including his Bahamian History collections. Ed formed close bonds with fellow collectors with whom he and his wife of 25 years, Dawn, traveled frequently. A favorite trip was to Lundy Island, not just for the philatelic research, but to see his favorite bird, the Puffin. A complex, kind, steadfast, wise, feisty man, Ed also loved gardening, birdwatching, baking – we’ll all miss those apple pies and strudel – a good mystery, golf with his buddies, and a boisterous family party. Ed is now reunited with his parents, brother Jim, sister-in-law Patricia, and step-grandson Beau. He is survived by wife Dawn, daughter Suzanne (Matt) Pasha, son Ed Jr. (Suki), and stepchildren Scott (Noelle) Plesha, Stecy (Mike) Ober, and Reagan (Allan) Svihlik. His grandchildren Griffin, Mia, Shalom (Tim), Savannah, Aaron, Adam, Addison, Carly, Ben, Jeb, Olivia (David), Drew (Jami), Noah (Lauren), Aidan, Austin and Payton will miss him tremendously, as will his brothers, sister, many nieces and nephews, cousins, and former wife Elsie. Visitation will occur from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a memorial service at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the American Philatelic Society, The Collectors Club of Chicago, or the National Audubon Society. www.burnsfuneral.com

Edward William Waterous, Sr.

June 15, 1943 - May 24, 2024