Edward Hathaway

Edward Vernon Hathaway of Brevard, NC, died quietly at his home on October 13th. On November 5th he would have been 92. He leaves behind his wife of 39 years, Ruth Harry Hathaway and his five adult children from his first wife, Marianne Klebes Hathaway from whom he was widowed in 1968.
He was born in Indianapolis, IN to parents Vernon and Ruth Shatto Hathaway and was named for his father's childhood friend, Edward Vernon (Captain Eddie) Rickenbacker the World War I flying ace and former owner of The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Shortly after graduating with a degree in biological and physical sciences from The Ohio State University in 1940, he was invited by OSU's chemistry department to take courses in explosives chemistry and engineering sponsored by the US Army Ordnance Department. After completing the courses the following year, he went to work at the Ordnance's munitions plant in Charlestowne, IN. In May of 1943 he joined the US Navy, attending midshipmen school at The University of Notre Dame. Ensign Hathaway reported for engineering school at Cornell University in January of 1944, just days after the birth of his first child. Shortly after he was certified as a Naval Engineer he was assigned to the USS LCS(L)-34 as Engineering Officer. He was soon promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, J.G. and became the Executive Officer of the ship. His ship was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre in World War II and among its duties was as a support and landing craft during the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was very proud of all his campaign ribbons and the two battle stars awarded his ship. But he was most proud of the Purple Heart that was awarded posthumously to his only sibling, his brother Ted, a bombardier with the Army-Air Corps and who was shot down along with his crew over the North Sea.
When the war was over, he returned home to his wife and small daughter and they grew their family to include four more children. He resigned as a full Lieutenant from the US Naval Reserve in 1954. Drawing on his Naval engineering, he began a career at Allison (then a division of General Motors) as a research and development engineer, from which he retired in 1979. Ed had a great love for music and he and Ruth spent many enjoyable evenings at The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and The Brevard Music Center.
While president of the Amos W. Butler Chapter of The National Audubon Society he spearheaded a lobbying effort to ban nearly all phosphates from detergents. In April of 1971, Indiana became the first state in the nation to impose such a ban and it was an important part of the early growth of the environmental movement. As an avid birder and lover of nature he and Ruth moved to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary at Sherwood Forest in Brevard upon their retirements. For several years during his retirement he was president of The Hathaway Family Association, one of the country's oldest genealogical societies.
But "retirement" was only a word in his vocabulary as he quickly became passionately involved with the Connestee Volunteer Fire Department. He was so hooked on hooks and ladders that during his seventeen years with the CVFD he designed and procured the department's first three Class A fire engines and supervised the design and construction of a six bay,two story, 9000 square foot fire station. He retired from the department in 1996 having served the last seven years as president of its board of directors. The department has graciously offered to transport his remains on one of those engines to the services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Brevard. A Mass of Christian Burial begins at 11:00 am on Tuesday, October 20th. A memorial service and interment will be in Indianapolis.
The loving children he leaves behind are Nancy Hathaway Lee, Janice M. Hathaway and Philip N. Hathaway of Indianapolis; Martha Hathaway Londeck of Beverly Hills, MI; and Christina Hathaway Vogel of Old Wick, NJ. He will also be lovingly remembered by his three sons-in-law Gary Lee, Paul Londeck and Robert Vogel; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial contribution to one of the following organizations: Connestee Fire Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 2427, Brevard, NC 28712;Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, 5353 East 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46226; or Habitat for Humanity at www.habitat.org .