Eddie Duane Smith

Ed is no more but his legacy of love, laughter, goodwill and public service lives on. Ed was devoted to his friends, law enforcement but, above all, to his family. He was the beloved husband of Gail, as well as her partner-in-crime and friend for 40+ incredible, love and laughter filled years.

Ed leaves behind his beautiful daughter, Sonja, as well as two grandchildren, Ethan and Emily. He was active in his grandchildren's lives when they were young, getting up at oh-dark-thirty to drive to cross country meets and trap shoots. Now that they are older, his heart swelled with pride when he spoke of them which was only every chance he got! He was so incredibly proud of them!

When he turned 18, Ed’s local police force strongly recommended that he join the military. He joined the Navy. His favorite statement about deciding to join the military was “why get drafted for two years when you can join for four!” Ed was deployed to Vietnam, first on the U.S.S. O'Bannon and then on a PBR in the Mekong Delta.

A caring law enforcement officer for 27 years, he left behind a legacy of devotion and compassion. If you ever were pulled over on Christmas Day by the Candy Cane Cop, you know this. Ed was instrumental in starting the first Special Emergency Response Team, now known as SWAT. He served in Detectives, Stanislaus County Drug Enforcement Unit, and Stan CATT, but his favorite assignment was probably Traffic. He loved that motorcycle!!

After retiring from law enforcement, he became an “IT Guy”, specializing in asking whether you had turned your computer off and on yet.

Ed also threw himself into the Peace Officer Memorial Group, an organization founded by Gail to help the surviving families of fallen law enforcement officers. He took the organization to the next level, helping found the Peace Officer Memorial Run, POMG's major fundraiser.

Ed was active in the Modesto Police Historical Society, gathering information and photos like a squirrel preparing for winter. His research has led to a database of 2000+ members of the department, past and present, along with thousands of old photos he researched to discover who was in them. He himself was a veritable font of historical info about the department.

He was proud to be a member of the Delta chapter of Sons of the American Revolution. Ed enjoyed genealogy and had traced his family history back to the 1400s. He was also a member of FindAGrave.com and had over 92000 memorials on the site. That is a LOT of volunteer hours!

Ed epitomized kindness and love, always caring for others before himself. He gave his all to anyone who needed it, powered by a true servant's heart. The surviving families of fallen officers will miss his great warm bear hugs. He always filled a room with laughter; his personality larger than life and impossible to ignore! His “big heart” will always be remembered.

Ed has lived so many lives and accomplished so much, it is actually hard to keep track. He was kind of our personal Forrest Gump, A pilot, a sailor, a cop, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a charity director, a mountain climber, a self starter, a house flipper, a boat owner, a fisherman, a cowboy, a biker, a cross country and international traveler, while also being a great cook, a prankster, and a general badass. He made the world a better place everywhere he went and affected lives with joy.

Ed was met on the other side by his mom, Mildred, and his dad, Edison, Gail's parents, Elsie and Alfred, along with her brother, Alfie, and her other siblings, as well as countless friends and pets.

We celebrate Ed's amazing life and hope it serves as an example for others. In Ed's memory, let us continue his legacy of volunteerism, hard work, caring, patience, love, and positive attitude! Ed's spirit and memory will live on in all who knew him. His kindness, generosity, humor and caring will be cherished forever.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Peace Officer Memorial Group at pomgsc.com/donation or modestopolicehistorical.com. These are both 100% volunteer organizations. They were his calling in life and he would be honored if you would help them.

Ed, you will be missed and remembered every single day. We love you always! 143