Edward T. Noonan

Edward T. Noonan Williamston Born on December 3, 1942, in Chicago, Edward T. Noonan died February 19, 2010 after suffering a heart attack following surgery. He is survived by his daughter, Kerry Noonan of Cleveland. He was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn Hegedus; brother, Gregory Noonan; his parents and his namesake, Congressman Edward T. Noonan. A 1961 graduate of Evanston High School in Illinois, Ed attended Michigan State University and Wayne State University Law School. While at Wayne, he founded and directed the Common Council Support Service, a revolutionary interdisciplinary think tank program in which he gathered together teams of graduate students to perform research projects for the Detroit City Council. After practicing law in Lansing and East Lansing, in 1973, Ed moved with JoAnn to Fairbanks, Alaska. During 16 years in Alaska, he specialized in aviation law and complex litigation. Much of his work entailed lobbying in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he taught computer science and business classes at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, owned a helicopter charter company and owned a software development and Macintosh computer sales business. Ed and his family moved to Williamston, Michigan in 1989. Over the years, Ed served as president of numerous organizations, including the Kappa Sigma fraternity, the Fairbanks Consumers Group, Fairbanks Software Cooperative, Apple Mousse, Lansing Area Macintosh And Lisa Users Group, Tri-County Bicycle Association (Lansing), and the Williamston Community Library Foundation. Ed served as Chairperson Emeritus of the Aviation Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and as an elected member of the Williamston City Council and Mayor Pro Tem. An avid bicyclist and adventurist, in 1996, Ed bicycled from Fairbanks to Key West, Florida and chronicled his journey on his blog www.tailwinds.org, which has logged more than 1 million visitors. Ed was honored as a Torchbearer in the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay, carrying the torch past Sparrow Hospital. Trained by Dame Edith Evans on Broadway, he made hundreds of public presentations including digital slide shows, testimony before the U.S. Congress, jury trials, seminars and college lectures. He made mobile computing presentations at MacWorld Expos in San Francisco, New York and Boston; and wrote a book about his cross-country bicycle trip "It's all downhill from here: Alaska to Florida bicycle adventure". His photographs have been published by various periodicals. Ed was currently working with the MSU College of Law Rental Housing Clinic, where he was a volunteer faculty member. He thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share both his legal and life experiences with the next generation of lawyers, who he often said were some of the most interesting and impressive students he had ever met. A memorial reception to celebrate Ed's life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 10, at Brookshire Inn & Golf Club, 205 W. Church St., Williamston. In lieu of flowers, Ed wished to encourage his friends to contribute generously to the Friends of the Williamston Library, c/o Capital Area District Library, 201 School St., Williamston, MI 48895. The family was served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, Williamston. On line condolences can me made at www.gorslineruncimanwilliamston.com