Ed VanZandt, 90, of Beaumont died March 16, 2005 at Dubius Hospital. A native of Jacksonville, Texas he was born on November 19, 1914. He was a graduate of Jacksonville High School and Lon Morris College and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
He worked for several newspapers- Jacksonville Daily Progress, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Dallas Morning News, and Beaumont Journal. Ed was with the Beaumont Journal for twenty-seven years as a reporter, city editor and managing editor, as well as the Beaumont correspondent for the Houston Post.
He served twelve years on the board of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and was appointed by Governor Preston Smith and reappointed by Governor Dolph Briscoe for a second six-year term to serve as chairman of the board. Ed served on the board of the Texas Election Bureau, longtime member of the YMBL; president and member of the Key Men’s Club, Lamar Cardinal Club. He served on the boards of the Salvation Army, past chairman of Land Manor, Sabine Oaks, Red Cross, Beaumont Senior Citizens Association, Baten Arms, and chairman of the board and one of the founders of Beaumont Products and Services, a non-profit organization organized to secure employment for the handicapped.
Ed was a fifty-year member of the Masonic Lodge and the Tolerance Lodge 1165. He served as chairman of the Volunteer Services Council of the Beaumont State Center. In 1986, the Edwin R. VanZandt sports complex was dedicated to the center.
Ed is a retired Lieutenant Commander for the United States Navy where he served twenty years. He spent three years in active duty and seventeen years in the Naval Reserve. Ed enlisted in the Navy in September of 1942 and was discharged on September 27, 1945 as Y2C. On September 1, 1956 he was commissioned as a Navy Lieutenant and from there was transferred to the Retired Reserve in July 1971 where he was ranked Lieutenant Commander.
Ed has been a longtime member of Westminster Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon, elder, trustee and assistant treasurer. He always enjoyed his Thursday morning prayer breakfast with the men of St. Marks Episcopal Church.
Ed is survived by his wife, Mary Harris VanZandt of Beaumont; daughter, Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill and her husband Dr. Lynn W. Neill of El Paso; grandchildren, Blair Neill of Roanoke, Virginia and Bailey Neill of Spartenberg, South Carolina.
A military graveside rite will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 19, 2005 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A gathering of family and friends will be Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the mortuary.
The family would like to add their thanks to the community for their loving acceptance and support of his life. A very special thanks to the Lamar Cardinal Club and all “his girls” for their help. He was known as “Scoop” to his colleagues and will be dearly missed by all. Ed was also a caring husband, great dad and a wonderful grandfather. In fact, he really came into his own with his grandchildren for whom he always had a joke, witty remark, peppermint or chocolate chip cookies. Everyday was an adventure. We love you daddy/papa.
Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 530 North Main, Beaumont, Texas 77701.
