HORNELL-Edward W. “Ed” O’Heron, 80, of 63 John St., died Monday afternoon (September 8, 2014) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, following a brief illness.
Born in Hornell on May 24, 1934, he was the eldest son of Murray & Opal (Schane) O’Heron. The O’Heron family lived in Hornell near the O’Heron and Schane grandparents until 1939 when they moved to Elmira, NY. They moved to Corning before the beginning of WWII. The children, Edward, Carole, James & Sharon attended St. Patrick’s School and Church on Dennison Parkway until March of 1948.
Ed graduated from St. Ann’s School of Hornell in June of 1948 and from Hornell High School in June of 1952.
He worked for the NYS Department of Transportation from 1952 until retiring in 1990 as a Civil Engineer, working on more than 70 bridges in the region. He also was a licensed Land Surveyor, with his own land survey business, and after his retirement from New York State, worked for several companies in the area as a consulting engineer.
Ed was an active member of Hornell Knights of Columbus (Fourth Degree Knight); he was also a member of the Arkport American Legion, Hornell Elks Lodge, the Hornell Association, Retired P.E.F., A.A.R.P., Ancient Order of Hibernians of Elmira, and held many professional association memberships.
He served as Director of Public Works for the city of Hornell from 1969-1975 and 1979-1982. He volunteered for Wegman’s Rochester LPGA tournament, and for the Corning Class LPGA as a Gallery Control Marshall for 20 years He also contributed time and energy to the Salvation Army, and the Faith in Action program.
In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his son, Edward W. O’Heron II who died shortly after birth in 1964; his first love and wife of 20 years, Sherry Carter O’Heron who died in 1975; his son-in-law, Darcy L. Henry who died in 1992.
Edward is survived by his ever loving and spiritually beautiful wife and companion since April 21, 1978, Sandra “Sandy” McManus O’Heron; his children, Kim O’Heron of Hume, VA, Lori (Tony) Rizzo of Silver Spring, MD and Kelly (Jack) Grillo of South Dansville; his treasures of his later life, grandchildren Eric & Patric Rizzo, Emily & Darcy S. Henry and Skye O’Heron; his step daughter, Mary Joy Valentine and her children Jeremy, Marla Jo & Donny Valentine; his step-grandson, Matt Grillo; his siblings, Carole (Alexander) Kessler of N. Syracuse, NY, James (Joanne) O’Heron of Canisteo, Sharon (Robert) Allen of Endicott, NY, Linda (Francis) Crowe of Corning, Patricia (Terry) Cordes of Corning and Michelle (Shannon) Proctor of Corning; his “special friend-brother-son” Dan Roop; many nieces & nephews.
The family of Edward W. O’Heron will receive friends on Thursday from 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Ed’s family request that memorial contributions in his name be made to St. Ann’s Church, Our Lady of the Valley Parish, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell, NY 14843. Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.
