- Date Of Birth: October 29, 1920
- Date Of Death: October 19, 2018
- State: Georgia
Edwin Lee “Ed” Wyrick of Sharpsburg passed away October 19, 2018, just ten days short of his 98th birthday. Ed was born in Blackburn, Missouri on October 29, 1920. While growing up during the Great Depression he became an excellent athlete playing football for Joplin Junior College and basketball for a semi-pro team. When he was five and living with his grandparents for a short time, a barnstorming flyer in a biplane landed on their farm. From that point on, Ed wanted to be a flyer. Taking advantage of the government’s Civilian Pilot Training Program in the late 1930’s, he learned to fly and became a civilian instructor in Stamford, Texas for the United States Army Air Corps. In 1943, he flew to Joplin, Missouri to be the best man for his brother’s wedding and became enthralled with the maid of honor. After four dates, he proposed marriage to Lois Thurman Wyrick and she accepted. Their marriage lasted 68 years until her death at age 88 in 2012. In 1944, as the end of the war neared, the army began drawing down its training program and Ed joined Eastern Airlines. He began his airline career flying DC-3s and retired in 1980 as Captain on the Lockheed L-1011 jumbo jet. During his airline career, he was based in New York, New Orleans, Miami, and Atlanta. The family moved to Newnan, Georgia in 1966. In addition to flying, Ed was an avid cattle farmer, and Ed and Lois moved to the farm in Sharpsburg in the mid-1980s. He was also active in his church and community. For example, Ed and Lois were founding members of the Jefferson Christian Church in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Cornerstone United Methodist Church near Sharpsburg. Hundreds of Coweta County men have fond memories of his leadership in the Boy Scouts of America. Ed is survived by his children Beth Respess (Mike), Cathy Miller (John), Eddie Wyrick (Pat James), and Charles Wyrick (Lee Ann). He was preceded in death by his grandson Jonathan (Mike and Beth). Surviving grandchildren are Laura Farmer and Sarah Kovacik, Missy and Eric Polly, Heather, Kalli, and Mariah James-Wyrick; Julianne Gottlieb, Caroline Wyrick, and Rad Wyrick. He is also survived by 9 great-grandchildren as well as his sister, Beverly Jones, of Webb City, Missouri. His extended family also included his dear friends that he loved as family, David and JoAn Kinrade and their daughters, Emily Carnes and Rachel Kinrade.
