In Memoriam Ed McMillin (1966 - 2003) "People who are afraid to die are also afraid to live. I'm not afraid of dying." -Ed McMillin

TRIBUTES

"The good thing is that I believe Ed died happy. He lived as he wanted to and died as he wanted to. We did a lot over this last year; many camping and day trips to Ginnie Springs, evening visits to Paynes Prairie, Busch Gardens several times (he LOVED the roller coasters), Cedar Key, St. Augustine, Daytona, etc. He loved to get away even if it was just for the day.

As I looked back over the last year, I realized that two of his life-long dreams came true. One was that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl. He was so excited that they made it that far, and then to see them win, he was ecstatic. What a great birthday present for him.

The other dream was that he finally owned a Harley. He had just said to me "I've wanted a Harley my whole life and now that I have it what do I have to look forward to?" I told him, just ride and enjoy it, and he did. Too bad the ride was too short.

He will be missed by many people for a long time."

Goodbye,Ratdaddy!
- Cindy Laukert, Gainesville

"Edward and I were very close growing up together and spent a lot of time together. We were inseparable. In 1983 I broke my neck after falling out of the back of a pick up truck and I remember how Edward came to my hospital bedside everyday after school. He never missed a day. I loved him so much. He will never be gone from my heart and I will do everything I can to keep his memory alive within the family and maybe even in Key West with Ratdaddy's Bar & Grill!"

- Tarra (McMillin) Kortekaas, Spring Hill

"I remember how my mom used to play jokes on him at Christmas time. One year he wanted a pair of contacts, so she came across some clear, round, plastic things, a little bigger than contacts, and wrapped them up for him. He got so mad he went back to bed and stayed there all day. Then another year he wanted a motorcycle, so she bought a little toy one and wrapped it up, he got mad again. The following year he wouldn't come out of his room because he was sure she was going to do something again."

- Janna McMillin, Clearwater

"The way you love someone who is in your life as a constant, always making what you do easier in a way that you take for granted. I loved Ed, as someone I could share a certain kind of dry humor with - he understood me, most of the time. And when he didn't understand me or agree with me, he would let me know. This kind of relationship is rare. This relationship evolved over the years that I was privileged to work with Ed. It evolved through patience and a shared commitment to the Biostatistics department. Ed genuinely cared about his work. I think he would continue to look after Biostatistics even if he was not paid. He did good things for Biostatistics. He made sure that everyone else could do their jobs. He made many, many improvements. He was responsive to problems with lightening quick speed. I remember when he got a new type of pager that could be used to alert him 24 hours a day to a systems problem. I cannot count the number of times he helped me when he was on vacation or at home because he was sick. He made things work and I loved him and I wish he were still with us. It is not fair. Someone told me that no one is indispensable, that everyone is like a hand in a bucket of water. When the hand is removed, water will fill the space; no sign of the hand will remain. After losing Ed I know that this isn't true. No one can take his place. Thank you Ed for working with me and helping me and sharing many wry smiles with me, I will miss you."

- Cynthia Garvan, Biostatistician

"I guess the best I can offer each of you is my experience with Ed. We were friends through most of our teenage years. Not close friends but friends. We ran in the same circle. We were fierce rivals that squared-off with each other, found a good mutual respect for each other, and became friends. My memories of Ed are those of Christmas parties, drinking adventures, camping out in John Carpenter's backyard, playing guitar, listening to Rock &Roll, Halloween mischief, video games, lot's of laughter.

I remember speaking to Ed about how reading music and playing music were related to mathematics. We were both way too drunk, way too cool, and way too involved in Heavy Metal rock & roll to have such a "sophisticated" discussion, but we did. A strange memory I know."

- Vince Beilman, Tampa Bay

"I'm not sure if you ever heard it, but Ed used to sing a song when we were headed over to visit Gerald (and he'd had a few on the way) "Beware of Big Ger, He Drinks, He Swears" over and over. Kind of funny when it's Ed, who you can't imagine singing usually. I guess he also stumbled up to the mike at a bar in Tampa once and grabbed the mike from a band who was doing Jimmy Buffet's Changes in Latitude - and just took over the singing. It was so bad, it was damn funny, I think Gerald was there for that one."

- Jason Alread, Iowa

"It was pretty cool growing up around Ed and his family and living across the street. It's just a lot to take in. I had a lot of pictures through the years of partying with Ed. Randy and I went to a lot of concerts with him and have lots of memories! I think of Ed every time I get my bike out, "but it's a good thing."

- Dave Myers, Tampa

If you want to contribute to the memorial page, please send the material to Cindy Laukert at CL at upf.com