I was looking forward to seeing Ed at the reunion. We go back to the same elementary school class at Lincoln. He was an awkward little boy in elementary school, but smart. He invited me for a coke and I remember his mother and he took me to Walker Bros.-- I think it was in second or third grade. I know I wasn't thrilled, but I wanted to be nice to him. Like Preston, I remember Ed coming to the last reunion on his motorcycle. I guess the fates don't care what your plans are. They will win out. RIP old friend.
This is very saddening. I knew Ed by name only at ETHS, but then we sat next to each at our 50th reunion dinner ten years ago and had a great conversation. It's the kind of interaction with folks you may not have known, or at least not known well, from our class of almost 900 at reunions like ours this coming weekend. I'll miss not seeing Ed again, as I'm sure others will, too.
I remember Ed from Lincoln Elementary he was a quiet guy back then and I was a day dreamer. I know little of Ed and I read that he road a Harley. A bike is not something I would have thought he would ride. Which goes to show how little one can know about an old classmate from years ago.
I do know that long rides on a bike clears the mind and adds another dimension of focus. Long rides on a Harley can and an aura of mystique to the rider and to the ride. I cannot celebrate Ed’s life but I can celebrate his choice to ride and what he chose to ride.
Sitting tall in the saddle. I hope you found the freedom of the road as it curved before you. The wind in your face and the sun on your, leather clad, back to warm you in only the way sun and leather can. I hope you had the rush of riding without a helmet and found it a pleasure. I hope you road the great mountain ranges of our nation, perhaps the Berkshires or the Smokies or the Rockies. I hope you paused at the Continental Divide clad in full leathers with light snow flurries falling and that you could see the clear blue sky and the puffy white clouds from which the snow was falling. I hope you had the freedom to decide east or west and then rolled the throttle on and just road down the endless ribbon of asphalt before you. I hope you road along the coastal shores and saw the sun rise and set from and into the clear blue waters.
But most of all I hope you found peace, love, joy and the narrow path that so many miss that leads to heaven’s gates.
I'll echo Ruth and Dale. I too went all the way through Lincoln School with Ed, along with Y Club and Boy Scouts. In first grade, he was known as Edward Watts; the Boesel came later. I never learned the why of all that except that he was clearly fatherless during his very early days -- a tough burden to bear. Perhaps, as a result, he marched to aifferent drummer and was always an outsider. He was awkward and shy and the butt of many jokes but it was also obvious he was smart. In my pernnial need to reach out to underdogs, I was always friendly with Ed. I knew his family and went to his house a few times -- not all that many -- and knew his parents.
That said, I was not surprised when he came out as gay and even that didn't erase his social awkwardness. But underneath he was a very sweet guy.
Did some digging re Ed's passing and this Facebook post is closest to an obit I could find but first a short comment I was familiar but not at all close with Ed from Boy Scouts thru ETHS From an awkward teased childhood he grew into a successful adult championing LGBTQ rights and socially active in his Harley Riding group and recently since May until his death an active participant and financial contributor in our weekly 64 reunion planning zoom meetings As Inrecall he also provided the lanyards issued for name tags at the reunion RIP Ed you were so missed at the reunion ❤️
It is with extreme sadness that I share the passing of Edward Boesel long time Boston HOG member and Road Captain who passed while riding back from Westford last week.
Ed was an integral part of the Boston Chapter known for leading retired person's rides on Tuesdays and Thursday's. He would video tape his rides and post them online for all to see.
He was a lover of opera and classical music and known for listening to the music through his helmet. We often said that when Ed led a ride, he'd ride to the tempo of the music!
He was present at most meetings and events and always participated in making them a success.
It was upon return of one of this rides that he crashed into a vehicle in front of him, failing to stop and lost his life.
Ed was always helpful with planning rides and actually spent 2 days with me planning a ride route for a charity ride a couple of years ago.
Ed was married previously to the Cosmic Muffin, Darrell Martinie a radio DJ with WMEX until Darrell's passing in 2006.
I do know he had a successful business career, but I am not familiar with his business background, except to say, I knew he did well in his career.
Ed's current partner was Teddy, and apologies that I do not know his last name. They could be seen together shopping even in NH. and would ride together.
Ed also had the most extensive bowtie collection that would rival any clothier's collection.
He now rides with the angels and will be missed by all who met him along the way. Ride on Ed, till we meet again!!
I found some impressive information about Ed Boesel's lifetime work on his LinkedIn account. He was a retired systems analyst and described his work this way:
"Mainframe software, utilities and exits in COBOL and Assembler for 48 years. Specialties include writing CICS exits, data base managers, report writers, and tuning very large systems for performance. Specialties: Tuning very large systems, writing CICS global exits, assembler APIs and subroutines."
Before retirement, he was at Fidelity Investments for 20 yrs in the following roles:
Architect Software ENG/DEV: Special technology projects, Selecting technological strategies, Performance and capacity tuning (10 years)
Ed's previous supervisor wrote this comment in 2006, "Ed is a star performer. He is in the top 1% of architects/developers. His knowledge of IBM mainframes, in particular CICS is prodigious and he can use that knowledge to perform feats no one thought possible. He is also generally creative, coming up with elegant designs to solve thorny problems. And he's a hell of a nice guy."
Ed's co-worker wrote this comment on 2006, "Ed is the consumate software professional. His technical expertise knows no boundaries and encompases all aspects of the IBM mainframe including CICS, Assembler, C, COBOL and various DBMS to name a few .
One of Ed's earlier credits while at Software International / Computer Associates includes the development and support of our own database management system "SIDB" (formerly SICF) used with our Masterpiece application suite.
Ed was also heavily involved in the design of our flagship General Ledger application."
I extend condolences to his friends and family and share their sorrow at his untimely and violent death by highway accident.
I am saddened to learn of Ed's passing from an accident. I knew Ed at Lincoln elementary school and he was a a kind gentle soul. although we were not close at ETHS, the many comments received by other classmates has helped to fill in the gaps about Ed's life. He was quite an interesting fellow and will be missed by so many of us.
Jane Henry (Andersen)
So sorry to hear this. He will be missed.
Ruth Gross
I was looking forward to seeing Ed at the reunion. We go back to the same elementary school class at Lincoln. He was an awkward little boy in elementary school, but smart. He invited me for a coke and I remember his mother and he took me to Walker Bros.-- I think it was in second or third grade. I know I wasn't thrilled, but I wanted to be nice to him. Like Preston, I remember Ed coming to the last reunion on his motorcycle. I guess the fates don't care what your plans are. They will win out. RIP old friend.
Patrick Furlong
Dale Madson
A moment for Ed.
I remember Ed from Lincoln Elementary he was a quiet guy back then and I was a day dreamer. I know little of Ed and I read that he road a Harley. A bike is not something I would have thought he would ride. Which goes to show how little one can know about an old classmate from years ago.
I do know that long rides on a bike clears the mind and adds another dimension of focus. Long rides on a Harley can and an aura of mystique to the rider and to the ride. I cannot celebrate Ed’s life but I can celebrate his choice to ride and what he chose to ride.
Sitting tall in the saddle. I hope you found the freedom of the road as it curved before you. The wind in your face and the sun on your, leather clad, back to warm you in only the way sun and leather can. I hope you had the rush of riding without a helmet and found it a pleasure. I hope you road the great mountain ranges of our nation, perhaps the Berkshires or the Smokies or the Rockies. I hope you paused at the Continental Divide clad in full leathers with light snow flurries falling and that you could see the clear blue sky and the puffy white clouds from which the snow was falling. I hope you had the freedom to decide east or west and then rolled the throttle on and just road down the endless ribbon of asphalt before you. I hope you road along the coastal shores and saw the sun rise and set from and into the clear blue waters.
But most of all I hope you found peace, love, joy and the narrow path that so many miss that leads to heaven’s gates.
Go in peace for the ride was good.
Your old classmate,
Dale C.
Susan Spiegel (Pastin)
Dale, that is a gorgeous tribute!
Dale Madson
Thank you Susan,
The words just seemed to flow and in the end the quiet ones run deep.
God Bless and keep you,
Dale C.
Bruce Boyer
I'll echo Ruth and Dale. I too went all the way through Lincoln School with Ed, along with Y Club and Boy Scouts. In first grade, he was known as Edward Watts; the Boesel came later. I never learned the why of all that except that he was clearly fatherless during his very early days -- a tough burden to bear. Perhaps, as a result, he marched to aifferent drummer and was always an outsider. He was awkward and shy and the butt of many jokes but it was also obvious he was smart. In my pernnial need to reach out to underdogs, I was always friendly with Ed. I knew his family and went to his house a few times -- not all that many -- and knew his parents.
That said, I was not surprised when he came out as gay and even that didn't erase his social awkwardness. But underneath he was a very sweet guy.
You can't always judge a book by its cover.
Bruce
Sherwin "Jay" Siegall
Did some digging re Ed's passing and this Facebook post is closest to an obit I could find but first a short comment I was familiar but not at all close with Ed from Boy Scouts thru ETHS From an awkward teased childhood he grew into a successful adult championing LGBTQ rights and socially active in his Harley Riding group and recently since May until his death an active participant and financial contributor in our weekly 64 reunion planning zoom meetings As Inrecall he also provided the lanyards issued for name tags at the reunion RIP Ed you were so missed at the reunion ❤️
Rosemary Burg (Heilemann)
I found some impressive information about Ed Boesel's lifetime work on his LinkedIn account. He was a retired systems analyst and described his work this way:
"Mainframe software, utilities and exits in COBOL and Assembler for 48 years. Specialties include writing CICS exits, data base managers, report writers, and tuning very large systems for performance. Specialties: Tuning very large systems, writing CICS global exits, assembler APIs and subroutines."
Before retirement, he was at Fidelity Investments for 20 yrs in the following roles:
VP Software Engineering/Development: Setting mainframe directions, mentoring, educating (10 Years)
Architect Software ENG/DEV: Special technology projects, Selecting technological strategies, Performance and capacity tuning (10 years)
Ed's previous supervisor wrote this comment in 2006, "Ed is a star performer. He is in the top 1% of architects/developers. His knowledge of IBM mainframes, in particular CICS is prodigious and he can use that knowledge to perform feats no one thought possible. He is also generally creative, coming up with elegant designs to solve thorny problems. And he's a hell of a nice guy."
Ed's co-worker wrote this comment on 2006, "Ed is the consumate software professional. His technical expertise knows no boundaries and encompases all aspects of the IBM mainframe including CICS, Assembler, C, COBOL and various DBMS to name a few .
One of Ed's earlier credits while at Software International / Computer Associates includes the development and support of our own database management system "SIDB" (formerly SICF) used with our Masterpiece application suite.
Ed was also heavily involved in the design of our flagship General Ledger application."
I extend condolences to his friends and family and share their sorrow at his untimely and violent death by highway accident.
Lincoln Krochmal
I am saddened to learn of Ed's passing from an accident. I knew Ed at Lincoln elementary school and he was a a kind gentle soul. although we were not close at ETHS, the many comments received by other classmates has helped to fill in the gaps about Ed's life. He was quite an interesting fellow and will be missed by so many of us.
May Ed rest in peace,
Lincoln