Edward Allison Tufts

Edward Allison (Ed) Tufts died Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at home in his independent living apartment in Austin, Texas. He had just celebrated his 98th birthday. In the words of his bonus granddaughter, he was a most faithful, positive, kind, and upstanding man.

Ed was born November 9, 1923 in Los Angeles, CA, the son of Anna Pearl (Mitchell) and William Allison Tufts. He lived in South Pasadena, CA until 1942, was co-captain of his high school football team and received a football scholarship to Santa Clara University in the Bay Area. He played football under two famous coaches, Len Casanova, later coach for the University of Oregon, and Buck Shaw, later coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Ed entered the U.S. Army Air Corps in June 1943, and piloted B-25, B-26, and A-26 twin engine fighter-bombers in training until WW2 was over. (https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/edward-tufts-and-margaret-tenney/)

Ed married Margaret Lee McCutchen (Mike) of Shreveport, LA in January, 1946. They returned to California and U.C. Berkeley where he graduated with a degree in Architecture becoming a licensed Architect in CA, TX, and nationally. In 1955 they moved to Houston, TX to raise their family. Ed started work for MacKie & Kamrath Architects as a specifications writer on such buildings as M.D. Anderson, U.T. Medical School Houston, Alkek Baylor College of Medicine, Humble (Exxon) Building, Regency Hyatt Hotel downtown, and many other buildings in Houston and throughout the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. He was active in the AIA and was president of the Houston chapter of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI). He also worked with Wyatt Hedrick, Goldman and Rolfe, Welton Becket, and 3D International Architects for over 50 years on projects in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, such as the extensive remodel and expansion of the Texas State Capital, the Saudi King and Queen’s palaces, conference centers, and municipal buildings in Riyad, Abu-Dhabi, and Dubai.

Ed was active in and an enthusiastic and loyal choir member of Holy Ghost Catholic Parish in Houston for 60 years and more recently St. Louis King of France Parish in Austin.

He was a man of many stories who loved gathering together with family and friends. He loved traveling, never complained, and everything amazed and delighted him. He was a Southern California beach boy through and through who loved nothing better than spending time at the beach fishing and swimming.

Ed was preceded in death by his sister Martha Susan (Tufts) Hubner “Sue”, and his brother William Mitchell Tufts “Bill,” and his son Mark McCutchen Tufts, and by his wife Margaret “Mike” Tufts.

He is survived by his daughter Margaret Tufts Tenney “Margi,” son-in-law Donald Edward Tenney “Don,” bonus grandkids Elizabeth Rose (Pierce-Tenney) Hall and her family (husband Chad, children Penelope and Wright), and Michael Pierce-Tenney and his family (wife Tina, sons Killian, Rowan, and Liam), as well as many dearly loved nieces and nephews and many friends across the country.

Ed’s family wants to thank the wonderful community at Westminster who helped Ed stay independent every day until the end. God bless you all!

A memorial service is scheduled for 11:00am, Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at: St. Louis King of France Catholic Church, 7601 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78757, 512-454-0384

If you would like to make a donation to a non-profit in Ed’s memory here are a few suggestions:

The Ocean Conservancy

https://oceanconservancy.org/

Health Alliance for Austin Musicians - HAAM

https://www.myhaam.org/donate

Literacy Coalition of Central Texas

https://willread.org/donate/

The National Park Foundation

https://www.nationalparks.org

God had a better job offer and he had to relocate.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishnorth.com for the Tufts family.