Ed married his college sweetheart, Joyce Smith Horner of Collierville, TN in 1943 while serving in the military. Ed and Joyce (deceased 1978), were devoted Edwin “Ed” Michael Horner, Sr., age 91, president and founder of All American Sporting Goods, Inc., died August 23, 2014. Ed was born the son of Edwin Martin Horner and Mary Ellen Horner on August 4, 1923 in Morristown, TN. He was a 1941 graduate of the Morristown Public Schools where he was Senior Class President and football team captain and was selected for the TN State Football All-Star team. Ed completed a year at the University of Mississippi where he played football before volunteering for enlistment in 1942, and being called in 1943 into the United States Army Air Corps. Ed married his college sweetheart, Joyce Smith Horner of Collierville, TN in 1943 while serving in the military. Ed and Joyce (deceased 1978), were devoted parents of six children: Carroll, Tommy, Billy (deceased), Nancy, Eddie and Ronnie who still reside in the metro-Memphis area. After three years in the military as a gunnery instructor on B-17 and B-24 Bombers during WWII, Ed returned to Ole Miss to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree. He was employed by the Department of Athletics as the head equipment manager for all sports until graduating in 1949. Ed was later inducted into the Ole Miss Football Hall of Fame in the early 2000’s. A long satisfying life in sales of athletic equipment, supplies and apparel was to follow at both the dealer and manufacturer level in North MS and West TN for York Arms Co. of Memphis and an additional nine years of traveling the Deep South for Rawlings Sporting Goods of St. Louis. In March of 1968, Ed and Joyce ventured out, following the “all American” dream as mom and pop business owners and started All American, Inc. All American is a sporting goods company that was formed to serve the athletic needs of sports teams competing at the youth, high school, college, university and professional level by providing athletic equipment, uniforms and supplies. All American continues to run as a family owned and operated business with sons, Tommy, Eddie and Ronnie as partners. It has earned recognition as one of the most reputable and successful team dealers in the southeast. Ed was well known in athletic circles, having served two terms on the Board of the National Sporting Goods Association and being elected to the NSGA Hall of Fame in 2000. Earlier in his life of leadership and service, Ed was fire department volunteer, Cub Scout pack leader and Dixie youth league baseball coach. A long time valued member of his community, Ed was a member of Collierville United Methodist Church and an integral part of the choir and his Sunday school class. Ed was preceded in death by his parents; wife Joyce Smith Horner (1978); second wife Martha Harrell Horner (2005); brother Tommy Horner (1949); son Billy Horner (1949); step-daughter Elizabeth Felton (2007); brothers-in-law Roger Swartz, Harland Smith and Dick Smith; sister-in-law JoAnn Schaeffer and nine half brothers and half sisters. Ed is survived by five children: Mary Carroll Horner, Tommy Horner (Cindy S.), Nancy Jane Horner Johnson (Joe); Edwin “Eddie” Michael Horner Jr. (Cindy F.); Ronnie (Patty); sister Esther Swartz of Bethesda, MD; brother-in-law Bobby Smith of Collierville; sister-in-law Carolyn Outlan of Collierville; stepdaughter Barbie Harkey (Dale) of Pascagoula, MS and stepson David Houston (Leslie) of Oxford, MS. Additionally, Ed is survived by 13 grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and one step-great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at Collierville Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 26 from 5 - 7 p.m. A celebration of his life will be held on Wednesday, August 27 at 2 p.m. at Collierville United Methodist Church, Sanctuary on the Square. Interment will follow in Magnolia Cemetery, also in Collierville. The family requests that any memorials be made to Collierville United Methodist Church, Sanctuary on the Square Fund, 454 West Poplar Ave., Collierville, TN 38017 or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences and memorial tributes can be made at www.colliervillefuneral.com Collierville Funeral Home (901)853-2628
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