Edward Stuart Baxter

Most people learn from what they know. Ed Baxter, against many odds, fashioned a full and wondrous life from what he did not know.

Ed went all out for wife Lenna, daughter Keri, son Stuart, grandson Stuart or granddaughter Elaine. His devotion was a conscious course correction away from his own childhood.

Edward Stuart Baxter was born in Tulsa, Okla., as the youngest of three children. He, his brother Tommy and sister Carlene were forced early to provide for themselves. They sucked on rocks out of hunger and redeemed used soda bottles to have money for food.

When Ed was 5, his mother Irene moved out and his father Floyd ceased caring for the kids - decisions that separated the siblings and began Ed's journey in and out of foster care and Oklahoma children's homes. As a teen, he came to live alone while working two jobs and going to Tulsa's Raymond S. McLain High School.

That's where he met Lenna Wesson. Even though they stayed "just friends" through a prom date and high school graduation, Lenna realizes it was love at first sight.

In 1963, Ed joined the U.S. Army and went to Vietnam. He left the service in 1966, and his first stop to see Lenna at Oklahoma State University. She met him at the bus stop in May. By June, they were engaged.

Ed majored in accounting at OSU and in January of 1967, he and Lenna married. Daughter Keri was born in 1969. Ed went on to work in Dallas for Arthur Young & Co., and son Stuart was born in 1971. Next, he joined Summers Electric in Dallas as comptroller, then treasurer.

In 1979, Ed and Lenna moved to Boerne after he opened a branch of Summers Electric in Kerrville. Ed also served as Sunday school teacher and church youth group leader at Boerne's St. Mark Presbyterian Church.

What came next was devastating and unfathomable. On Jan. 16, 1988, son Stuart died in a car accident. He was only 16.

Ed led his family to establish a scholarship honoring Stuart's memory. For many years, family and friends took great joy in celebrating graduates of Boerne and Health Careers High School through the award.

Ed and Lenna moved into San Antonio, where Lenna worked at Boysville Children's Home and Shelter as director of children's services. Ed had been working as endowment manager at Trinity University.

In 1992, Ed was hired as chief financial officer of Boysville. He worked there for 18 years and, by Lenna's side, helped break fundraising records for new growth and programs for kids. Lenna became CEO of Boysville in 1997.

The duo retired in 2010. They kept up their travels and loved being members of University Presbyterian Church, where a memorial service for Ed will be held at 11 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Boysville, UPC or the House of Neighborly Service.