Edward L. Powers

Edward L Powers

Edward Lawrence Powers, age 68, passed away at home in New York City on May 11, 2025, surrounded by his family. Ed was born in Ogallala, Nebraska in 1956 and raised in Omaha, where he graduated from Creighton Prep in 1974. He earned his B.A. at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1978 and his J.D. at Columbia University in 1982. While in law school, he met the love of his life, Leslie (Harrison). They were engaged three months later and married in May of 1982. Ed and Leslie remained in New York, where they raised four children and Ed spent his career as a litigator.

Ed's midwestern roots did not prevent him from becoming a New Yorker through and through, and he excelled in the rituals of city living. He rode a Citi Bike to the office, was President of his Co-op on Riverside Drive, and hunted for parking spots (never a garage). Every Thanksgiving, he and his children hauled a ladder onto the subway and rode to 79th Street to watch the parade. On weekends, Ed relaxed and attended to small projects at his beach house in Lavallette, New Jersey.

Becoming a lawyer was in Ed's bones. His father was a lawyer, his five siblings became lawyers, and his daughter and two nieces carry on the tradition. Ed's values - honesty, decency, kindness - were reflected in his work. He never liked lawyer jokes. For him, the law was a higher calling, grounded in ethics and professional responsibility. His partners recall him as a "lawyers' lawyer" who "guided both clients and us with patience and grace."

Ed was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in February of 2023. Aggressive treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering allowed Ed to enjoy two relatively normal years of life during which he continued to work and spend time at the beach, and he attended five family weddings, including those of his two oldest children. By the end of 2024, Ed's cancer was no longer responding to treatment. He began hospice care in March, with the help of the Visiting Nurse Service. He faced this journey with stoicism and quiet bravery. The final words spoken to him by his brother John said it all: "You're the best of us, Ed. Goodbye."

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, John and Marjorie, and his brother Dan. He leaves behind his wife, Leslie; four children, Natalie (Mike), John (Miranda), Andrew (Ruth), and Jamie; one grandchild, Kaye; four siblings, John, Mary, Vince (Alison), and Jim (Mary); and many nieces and nephews. In addition, he is survived by friends from Creighton Prep, Columbia Law School, Richards & O'Neil, Zukerman Gore, St. Ignatius Loyola School, the Anderson School, and the Jersey Shore.

Ed's funeral service will be held Friday, May 16 at 10am at Holy Name Church, 207 West 96th St, New York, NY. A repast will follow at the Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60th St, New York, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Equal Justice America or Memorial Sloan Kettering.