Edwin Russell Koons, Jr. (“Ed”) was born in Hagerstown, Md., on December 31, 1937. He was the son of Catherine Moore and Edwin Koons, Sr. and brother to Marian. He grew up in Hagerstown watching the Western Maryland Railroad in operation and developed a love of trains at an early age. He completed grade school at St. Mary’s in Hagerstown and then attended Hagerstown Junior College for two years, where he played basketball for the college, as well as the “Varnum Street Vultures.” He later attended Catholic University in Washington, DC, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering.
Ed enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in January of 1962. He received a Federal Critical Skills deferment to provide assistance designing the US interstate highway system, which he did as a civil engineer for Baker Wibberly and Associates from 1961-1964. He received an honorable discharge from the Coast Guard in 1969.
Ed met his future wife Ellen Holden in 1965, at a wedding Ellen attended at the last minute with her roommate. They were married on July 15, 1967. Ed’s daughter, Hollis Brittner, was born in 1969, followed by his son, Joshua Hamilton, in 1972. While living in the Washington, DC, metro area, Ed worked for Richard Browne Associates, where he was vice president in charge of New Community Projects. This led him to his next position as chief engineer in the Master Planning of Peachtree City, Ga., where he moved with his family in 1972. Ed served as the city engineer, assisting in the development of this new community. Ed lived with his family in Peachtree City for over 47 years. During this time, he owned and operated a number of engineering businesses, and served as an administrator for Fayette County and the town of Tyrone. Ed was a founding member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, was a member and past president of the Peachtree City Rotary Club, and helped broker the opening of Peachtree City’s first restaurant, Partners II Pizza, so the community could enjoy pizza AND beer. Ed loved sports, especially baseball, and served as a member and president of the Braves 400 Club, where he was able to personally introduce his children to Dale Murphy, Glen Hubbard, Bob Horner, and other classic Braves players of the 1980s. Ed was an outdoorsman and went on a number of fishing and hunting trips with his buddies, the details of which are still a little vague. He loved to travel and enjoyed visits to Europe, Alaska, and the western states, where he rode any train that would take him as a passenger. His love of trains led him to become an avid collector of model trains. His collection grew to the point that he had to start hiding his trains from his wife, many of which are still hidden away to this day.
Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ellen; his sister, Marion Marshall of Hagerstown, Md.; his daughter, Holly Koons of Oakton, Va., and her children, Conor and Maura McCullough; his son, Josh Koons and daughter-in-law, Amy Medlock of Athens, Ga., and their children Augie, Isham and Emeline Koons; and his nieces and nephews. He will be missed by family and friends, all of whom will remember Ed by recount of the adventures, good times and funny stories that were a part of his life.
Carl J Mowell & Son Funeral Home, Peachtree City – www.mowellfuneralhome.com.
