Edwin Harry Root

Edwin Harry Root

1934-2026

Edwin Harry Root, 91, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2026. Born in Vancouver, Washington, in 1934, Ed spent his childhood in the Portland, Oregon, area. He was the only child of Harry and Ella (Syron) Root. His father was a rural mail carrier, and his mother was a schoolteacher, and Ed grew up surrounded mostly by adults, which shaped his thoughtful and inquisitive nature.

Ed's interest in technology emerged early. By age nine, he was building crystal radio sets and experimenting with antennas, including one strung high in a fir tree, much to his mother's alarm. During World War II, when his father was drafted into the Navy and sent to San Francisco, young Ed learned to back the family's 1940 Ford down a long driveway, proudly claiming that he learned to drive in reverse before he mastered driving forward.

After the war, the family moved to Estacada, Oregon, where Ed attended Estacada High School. He participated in Future Farmers of America and raised a prize-winning Hereford heifer, Sethann, who earned first place at the Oregon State Fair. Though Ed considered himself an unmotivated student in those years, his curiosity was boundless, so much so that a teacher once scolded him for tallying log trucks by the sound of their engines.

At his mother's insistence, Ed attended Oregon State University. Sethann was sold to pay for his tuition, an investment that led Ed to earn undergraduate degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Physics and sparked a lifelong passion for learning.

Following graduation, Ed embarked on a series of engineering positions across the country. While working in Mobile, Alabama, he met Velma Fertig, a registered nurse originally from Kansas. They were introduced by her sister, Mary Lou, and married in Radium, Kansas, in the fall of 1959.

Ed and Velma welcomed their daughter Mary in 1960 in Montgomery, Alabama; their son Robert followed in 1962 in Moses Lake, Washington. The family then moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico, where their youngest son, John, was born in 1968. Ed's work brought him into collaboration with expatriated German scientists at Holloman Air Force Base, where he was introduced to early analog computers used to simulate missile trajectories, work he found deeply engaging.

In 1972, the family relocated to Albuquerque when Ed accepted a position at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory. He went on to earn both Master's and Doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Though he and Velma divorced in 1985, they remained close friends. Ed continued his career with the U.S. Army Communications Command at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and later returned to Albuquerque to support missile simulation work for the 747 Airborne Laser program before retiring.

In 1996, Ed met Terri Koontz of Hobbs, New Mexico. Terri encouraged and energized him, even facilitating memorable weekends with all five Albuquerque grandchildren at once. Tragically, Terri was killed by a drunk driver in 1998 in an accident that also severely injured Ed.

Ed remained in Albuquerque, where he cultivated a life filled with intellectual exploration, daily swims, eclectic music, and computer tinkering. Family fondly recalls his habit of reading several books at once, ranging from technical manuals to spiritual texts.

In 2024, Ed and Velma moved into the same assisted living facility, where Ed received devoted care from his daughter Mary. He shared a special friendship with his son-in-law, Larry, who visited daily with stories and treats.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents; his aunt, Gladys (Root) Strong of Portland; Terri Koontz; and Velma, who passed away two weeks before him.

He is survived by his children Mary and husband Larry Perez of Albuquerque; Rob and wife Lynn (Saalfeld); and John and wife Joey (Dye), all of Seattle. He also leaves behind eleven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

His family will remember him for his curiosity, quiet humor, resilience, and love of learning.

We love you, Dad.