Edward Owen Webber

Edward Owen Webber, affectionately known as Ed, was born on September 23, 1950, in Fort Collins, Colorado. He left this world on September 19, 2025, in Rawlins, Wyoming, succumbing peacefully at home after a long battle with kidney failure and COPD, surrounded by his beloved family.

Ed dedicated 33 years of his life to the Union Pacific Railroad, a career that he embarked upon after a short stint at the Sinclair Refinery. He retired in 2011, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, commitment, and a passion for the tracks that defined a significant portion of his life. A proud graduate of Rawlins High School class of 1969, Ed's roots ran deep in the very community where he lived and ultimately passed away.

Throughout his life, Ed was celebrated for his unwavering dedication to family. He was a man whose love manifested in peculiar yet endearing ways, often seasoned with a touch of stubbornness and a quick wit. He had a unique ability to express affection—calling his wife Maxine “the idiot” or playfully probing his children with light-hearted jabs like, “What makes you such a loser?” Though sometimes rough around the edges, these expressions were simply his way of demonstrating how deeply he cared for those around him. Even his frank admission of distaste for elaborating on activities—punctuated with “You writing a book? Well, leave that chapter out”—spoke volumes of his straightforward nature.

Maxine Webber was not only his wife but also his steadfast partner in love and life. They were supposed to wed on a crisp autumn day, October 29, 1971, in Cowley, but fate had other plans. A fierce snowstorm kept Ed from attending the ceremony, prompting Maxine to proceed without him, though their journey officially began shortly thereafter in the cozy confines of his parent's living room on November 2.

Ed was proud of his family and found his greatest joy in his role as a husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his cherished wife, Maxine; his loving daughters Jamie (Mike) Martinez, Melissa Webber, and Dana Bruggink; and his grandchildren, Kobie, Jaiden, and Camryn Martinez, Devon and Ashton Martinez, Echo Pedersen, and Colin and Cade Bruggink. These connections brought him warmth and purpose, defining his life's proudest accomplishments.

He shared life’s simplest pleasures through his love for horses and time spent in the barn, where he often found solace and joy. Ed loved to spend time in the woods hunting, and instilled this love of nature in his grandsons, teaching them to shoot and hunt. Ed delighted in the pages of a good book and cherished the camaraderie of manly pack trips in the Wind River Mountains, where laughter echoed against majestic landscapes. Never one to shy away from expressing his loyalty, he wore his Denver Broncos colors with pride, cheering for his team with unabashed enthusiasm.

He leaves behind a brother, Jim (Mary) Webber, and a sister, Barbara (Lanny) Stillwell, who will remember him not only for his quirks but for the heart he brought to every gathering. Ed's legacy is also entwined with the memory of his late parents, Edward Root Webber and Vivian Marie Webber, along with his father-in-law Angus Maxwell Willis and mother-in-law Alberta Willis, whom he joins once more.

As we remember Edward Owen Webber, let us cherish a man whose rough edges were softened by an unyielding love for family and a humor that brought lightness to life’s challenges. He may have departed this world, but the tales of his unique affection, steadfast spirit, and unwavering dedication will linger on in the hearts of those he loved.