Edward F. Turberg

1939 - 2018

Edward F. Turberg died of a pulmonary embolism on December 22. He was a preservation professional in North Carolina since 1972 when the Division of Archives and History hired him as a restoration specialist. He resigned in December 1978 to reside in Wilmington where his wife, Janet Seapker had accepted a position as a museum director. In January 1979, Ed began practice as an independent, self‑employed, restoration consultant, an occupation he continued until his death.

He attended architectural school at Pratt Institute for three‑and‑one‑half‑years, quitting because the curriculum involved only designing buildings of glass and steel, with no regard for old buildings that he loved so much. During the years at Pratt, he studied architectural history under Sybil Moholy‑Nagy, internationally noted architectural historian. She fortified in Ed a respect and affection for historic architecture that he carried with him to death.

Following a stint in the US Navy, Ed obtained his undergraduate degree in history and enrolled in the University of Virginia's graduate program in architectural history. Under the tutelage of Professors Fred Nichols and William B. O'Neil, Ed learned the fine points of reading buildings‑‑from the earliest to those of the modern era. Such talents he used throughout his career.

His practice evolved into a local one, a reflection of his desire to bring affordable, professional, accurate, preservation advice to the residents of the Cape Fear Region. In Wilmington, he consulted on and written more tax incentive applications and Historic Wilmington Foundation plaques than any other individual or firm. His historic research ability equals his architectural expertise. He has conducted and completed historic surveys, inventories, historic structure reports, building restoration plans and specs, paint research reports and National Register nominations from buildings dating from the eighteenth‑century to Topsail Island's 1940s missile testing site.

Ed was also an author whose prose are recognized statewide. His 1973 Master's thesis on Frederick Law Olmstead's work at Biltmore, is sought by scholars. His essay on the architecture of the Lower Cape Fear region is included in Time, Talent, Tradition. He wrote the text for a publication on the architectural history of Richmond County, NC. Those and the other publications in between are evidence of his commitment to share the wealth‑‑to make history and architectural history available and accessible to people.

Public service has been a part of his Wilmington career, most notably a five‑year stint as chairman of the Wilmington Historic District Commission. Ed served on many other boards, generally those of a historic or preservation nature. He was on the inaugural board of the Rail Road Museum

His practice was not limited to formal involvements. He is a believer in public history. As a volunteer he has produced newsletters (a thankless task) for the Historic Wilmington Foundation and Historic St. Thomas Preservation Society. For years Ed taught architectural history for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the Office of Public Service and for the New Hanover County Public Library. He is an inveterate tour guide, sharing his knowledge with residents and visitors alike. Many a newcomer to Wilmington has Ed to thank for their introduction to the history and historic architecture of the region. Journalists for the Wilmington Morning Star regularly called Ed when doing a story about historic buildings and areas.

Ed choose to work for and to educate the every‑day bloke, not just the rich and famous. Ed was in the local trenches, researching, educating, teaching and preserving the fabric of the Southeastern region of North Carolina. In 1996 he received Preservation NC’s Gertrude Caraway Award for his efforts and in 2017, and he shared with his wife, the Historic Wilmington’s Thomas H. and Elizabeth L. Wright life time achievement award.

A memorial celebration of Ed’s life will be conducted at 11:00 AM at St. James Episcopal Parish, at Third and Market, on Saturday, January 19, 2019.

Memorials may be made to the Bellamy Mansion, 503 Market St., Wilmington, NC, 28401, or St. James Church, 25 South 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC, 28401 or the charity of your choice.