Ed’s father was one of the first county agents, and his mother volunteered as home demonstration agent. Ed was a 4-H Agent in WY (1951) and WA (1954). He helped establish the first 4-H programs on Indian Reservations. He became a WA State 4-H Specialist in 1957 and later federal Western Region 4-H Leader from 1962-1979. Ed and his volunteers involved youth with disabilities and disadvantaged youth, many who weren’ from farms. Photography, tropical fish, urban gardening and community leadership projects were developed with specialists. Urban youth grew plants and flowers in small city plots and even containers. Ed stated, “4-H would never again just be limited to just plows, cows and sows.”
Ed introduced growing, breeding and showing fish that led to 4-H Aquaculture projects. Ed and civil defense leaders in OR and WA designed the “Civil Defense for Community Readiness” board game that launched with 1,000 youth at the Oregon State campus. At the federal level, Ed’ leadership brought the first use of computers for processing 4-H enrollments, encouraging states to automate record keeping systems. 4-H at all levels could quickly put numbers behind the story of 4-H for officials and better plan for and manage programs. In retirement, Ed joined a multi-agency effort that created 4-H Teens Teaching Internet Skills intergenerational computer literacy program.
