Edward Alexander Urquhart

Edward Alexander Urquhart, aka “Eddie” or “Ed” was born in The Bronx, New York on January 7, 1936, to parents William and Edna Kemp Urquhart. He was the fourth of five children; William S. Urquhart, Jr., Ruth Spears (deceased), John Urquhart (deceased), and Walter Urquhart (deceased).

Edward was raised on 153rd Street – “The luckiest block in Harlem, NYC!” I’m sure his brothers, “The Urquhart Brothers” as they’re fondly called, would agree. As a kid, Edward loved playing baseball with “the fellas” at their makeshift baseball field. They used anything they could find for the bases and home plate. Eddie and “the fellas” would often climb through a hole in the fence to watch the N.Y. Giants football games for free at the Polo Grounds.

Edward graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in The Bronx in 1954, where he earned Honorable Mention in football after trying out for the first time as a senior in high school. After graduating high school, Edward joined the NYC Fire Department on June 14, 1958. He married the love of his life, Sylvene Jackson, on November 29, 1958. Through their union, Edward and Sylvene were blessed with three beautiful daughters, Janine, Adrienne, and Celeste. He adored his girls and his girls will tell you that they are truely “Daddy’s Girls.”

Edward was stationed in firehouses throughout New York City which included The South Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Edward loved his job fighting fires and reuniting familes. Edward would often recruit and mentor young men to become firefighters. While fighting fires, Edward continued his education to become a registered nurse (RN). Edward would complete his shift at the firehouse then he immediately begin his shift in the emergency room at the hospital. Edward retired as a Lieutanant of the New York City Fire Department at age 52.

Edward was a man of integrity. He placed a high priority on God, family, education, celebrating African-American history, and his ancestry. He has an extensive library and collection of African American artwork. As a member of St. Clement’s Catholic Church in Queens, NY, he volunteered with the church homeless outreach ministry. Edward always found time to attend his daughters’ basketball games, track meets, dance and music recitals. In 1963, Edward served as a Marshall for the March on Washington where the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech .

In 1995, Ed and Sylvene relocated to Debary, FL along with their good friends Kenny and Cynthia. Edward became a faithful member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Debary for 23 years. He served in the food pantry for several years. He served on the security team for the community neighborhood watch program and was certified in disaster assistance training for Volusia County, FL.

Edward loved the outdoors and he walked everywhere. His granddaughter called him a “walking machine.”

Edward was an avid sports fan. His favorite baseball team was none other than the New York Yankees. Although the NY Knicks always held a special place in his heart, upon moving to Florida Edward became a fan of the Orlando Magic and attended several games at the Amway Center.

Edward and Sylvene loved to travel – Together they traveled to the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Mexico, Spain, and South Africa. When Edward wanted to “cool out,” jazz was his music of choice. In April 2018, he was able to attend the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach, FL.

Edward was called to be with the Lord on Monday, March 18, 2019. He was 83 years young. He is loved and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving wife of 60 years, Sylvene; his mother-in-law, Greather Campbell; his brother, William “Bill” (Betty); his daughters, Janine (Ron), Adrienne (Cliff), Celeste; grandchildren, Bria, Erin, Essence, Daria, and Alivya; great-grandchildren, Alexander and Khyli, and a whole host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The final alarm has sounded, Ed’s work on Earth is done, if Ed could say one last word, it would be – Yes, Lord here I come!