Edward Jennings Jr.

July 3, 1924 - January 31, 2018

This is written in loving tribute and in memory of our beloved Edward Lacy Jennings, Jr.

On January 31, 2018 and at 93 years of age, our Edward Lacy Jennings Jr passed away after his well fought and laboring battle with Congestive Heart Failure and with Parkinson’s Disease. Edward has now joined his family, friends and colleagues in heaven and is now in peace. Above all else, Edward always placed his family first. Edward was a beloved husband to our mother; beloved father, grandfather to his daughters and to his son-in laws. Edward was a beloved son, brother, uncle and cousin. Edward was a beloved grandfather and great grandfather to his grand babies. His devoted service to our country, to the navy, to law, to community and to his family was exemplary and admired by all. His true and transparent devotion to our family, to his Lutheran churches and to his faith, to Hoag Hospital Philanthropy, to the CA Peace Officers Association, to the FBI Ex Special Agents, to the American Legion Post 291 Newport Beach CA, and to the West Covina, Laguna Beach and Irvine Woodbridge Communities was selfless and most generous.

Edward was born July 3, 1924 at 6:03 a.m. in Christiansburg, VA to Edward Lacy and Sally Elizabeth (Kidd) Jennings, Sr. At a very young age his character and his inner compass began in servitude and in community. As a boy he worked in Kroeger’s Hardware Grocery Store, had a paper route, faithfully attended church, planted and harvested very large vegetable and fruit gardens, worked planting and harvesting extended family’s tobacco fields, ran the math calculations as an 8-year old for his 2 uncles and Father to install a rampart water pump from stream uphill to Uncle’s house, helped in his Father’s barber shop and helped the townspeople all of whom were lifelong friends, tutored friends and students, was a summer Lifeguard at the regional pool, football quarterback and held the highest ranking of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. Edward was especially proud of these activities, his grades, his timeliness and the service he consistently provided, and was very close to his family. He completed high school in 3 years, became very versed in geography, math, and science. After completing high school in 3 years, Edward attended Virginia Military Institute for 1 year. Wanting to serve his country he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserves in 1943. From 1943 to 1946, he was in active duty, stationed at the Marquette University Naval Reserves (NROTC-MUNR) at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Base, Illinois. Schools/Trainings completed were in NROTC, at Marquette University and V-12 education training at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He held ranks of Apprentice Seaman, and Seaman Second Class. He learned sailboat seamanship and his passion was navigation —being guided by the landscape, charts, graphs, the moon and stars. He graduated from Marquette University completing a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Navigation, Science and Math within 3 years. He was commissioned as a Naval Officer in 1946, Lieutenant JG(Junior Grade). He served on active duty during WWII 1943 – 1946. His cumulation of Navy Medals and Awards were WWII Victory, American Area, and Good Combat Medal. Within his naval career, Edward was united in marriage in San Diego in August 1946 to his wife Bonnie Lou Schultz . Between June of 1946 to October 1946, he was stationed in the US Navy San Diego/Pacific Ocean/Pacific Fleet, on Destroyers USS DD Sutherland and USS DD Benner. As a Naval Science Officer he was reassigned to the Flag Ship/Lead Ship of the Fleet as Assistant to the Commodore, and as Chief Navigator of the Fleet. He separated from active duty in October 1946 and remained in the United States Naval Reserves/ROTC-CORPS until mid-1962. Obtaining clearance from the Navy to return to Law School in Milwaukee, Edward attended from February 1947 thru January 1949 and graduated with his Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School in 2 years, making extra income by accepting Navy summer jobs to de-mothball fleets in Florida, developing study briefs, and tutoring students. From February 1949 thru May 1950, he worked as an investigative attorney/claims adjuster of an Insurance Company in Milwaukee. From 1950 thru 1956, he worked for the United States Department of Justice in the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a highly specialized Special Agent Attorney in a supervisory and management role in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. From 1956 thru 1957 he worked as a specialized Attorney Investigator at the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank. From 1957 thru 1988, he worked for Southern California Edison as a Special Agent rising to position of Director of Corporate Security and this is where Edward retired. Upon his retirement he shifted his passion and skill set to his community in Irvine, CA and was Vice President and President of the Woodbridge Willows Homeowners’ Association for 23 years.

Edward’s passion and his love of: family gatherings; the ocean, the beach, playing frisbee, playing in the waves, swimming beach to beach, gathering shells; dining with family and friends; taking road trips; going on adventures with his children and grandchildren; having snacks; looking at cars planes, ships and boats; following tidal charts and temperatures; playing golf, basketball and tennis; tracking the development of new freeways, parks and housing communities; traveling abroad and within the states; playing cards and chess along with board games; watching Jeopardy, Golf matches, football and basketball games; reading the newspaper, novels and yearly reading and memorizing the World Almanac; listening to music, singing tunes and dancing; having course dialogues and discussions in law, history, politics and the stock market - - - - has instilled fond memories to which we will all cherish and hold dear to our hearts forever. Edward was always a fair and equitable man. He believed that: “there is always 3 sides to a story”; “one’s walk and talk should mirror the other”; “got to be 3 deep and have a back up to a back up”; “never be a day late or a dollar short”; “if you do not succeed, try, try again”; “actions speak louder than words”; knowledge is empowerment and the riches to our brains”; “everyone has a voice no matter the size of volume”; “one doesn’t always have to win the race, just cross the finish line”. One could always set “their watch” by Edward. He was a straight shooter, a straight arrow, our guiding light, our compass, our loving and devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, colleague, best friend, and now is our angel and he will remain loved and cherished in our hearts, in our minds, and in our inner core for our lifetime.

Edward was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Faye and his sister’s son Brian, his cousin Kenneth Dobson. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Lou Jennings; daughter Susan Frazier and husband Mark Frazier, grandson Michael Frazier, and granddaughter Megan Frazier Hogg and husband Phil Hogg; daughter Julie Angle, grandson Bradford Angle and wife Kristen Angle; daughter Linda Branam and husband Walter Branam, granddaughter Tanya Branam and husband Michael Orinski and great-grandchildren Finn and Oliver Orinski; granddaughter Tiffany Branam and husband Sergio Velasquez; brother in law Donal Hall husband of Faye hall, Donal Hall’s daughter Sharon Hall Tyler and husband Kenneth Tyler, cousin Kenneth Dobson’s wife Sue Dobson.