Edward John Guard Sr.

GUARD, SR., EDWARD JOHN, Maitland, FL, died at home May 28, 2011 surrounded by his loving family. Ed began working for the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company as a aircraft designer in 1940. Two years later he served his country during WWII in the Pacific aboard a Navy LSM in the South Pacific. After the war Ed returned to Baltimore and continued his work with the Martin Company. The first jet seaplane (SEAMASTER) started on his drawing board. He continued a successful career with Martin Marietta for 40 years as Director of their Prototype Division. Upon retirement in 1982, Ed started his own prototype company, Guard-Lee Inc of Apopka where he was President and CEO continuing to do what he loved, replicating full-life sized models for museums around the world. His space vehicle replicas, to include the Space Shuttle, Lunar Lander & Rover, and Hubble Space Telescope can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, Cape Kennedy, and other museums overseas and around the world. Ed's love of life, unwavering optimism, positive attitude, and strong values touched so many, making our lives richer for having known and loved him. Survived by his wife Edith; daughter Michelle; son Edward (Jay) and daughter in-law Marilynn; granddaughters Silke Guard, Tiffany
Ellmore, and Nikki Burroughs. Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 3rd at 3:00 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park. In lieu of flowers, family requests donations be made to Hospice of the Comforter Altamonte Springs, FL. DeGuispe Funeral Home and Crematory, Maitland. Www.degusipefuneralhome.com