My father in law has passed away and we are leaving for Michigan shortly, so I won't be posting for a while. He died in his sleep after a long long struggle and we are all thankful it was peaceful. Here is what I wrote for the program, so you might get a feel for who he was.

Ed, Eddie, Vart, dad, and grandpa are all names we remember Edward Vartan Vartanian by, but these names represent so little of who he really was. From his poker pals to his state fair buddies, ed always had time, a kind word, a helping hand and a couple of bucks for someone who was in need.

With his movie star good looks and his outgoing personality, he could charm most anyone. In his younger days, Ed looked like tough guy Victor Mature, but he was a teddie bear inside, until he played gin, then he was a tough competitor for that $3.00 pot!

Ed had a soft spot in his heart for animals. Whenever he visited a house with dogs he would sneak them food from the table, so it was not unusual to find a pile of dogs huddled around his feet watching his every move waiting for goodies.

We all will miss Ed's laughter and the sparkle in his eyes, but know he is now at peace.