Edward A. Tunheim

Edward A. Tunheim
October 14, 1936-December 5, 2023
Ed came from humble beginnings. Son of immigrants from Norway, Ed and his older sister Martha grew up in a warm loving home in Vallejo. Their mother Margaret often took in boarders to help cover the rent. Ed's family was Lutheran and he enjoyed playing the organ until going off to college. Before heading to Berkeley, he attended San Jose State where he met his first wife Doni through mutual friends. Little did he know he was in for the ride of his life. Doni had fanciful ideas and eclectic taste which brought creativity, beauty and joy to Ed's world, balancing out his sensible side and Norwegian bachelor farmer work ethic. This balance is sublimely expressed in the wood cuts they created together for thirty years, and the 1850's Victorian that they renovated. During this time, Ed was apprenticing and mastering the craft of sustainable forestry under Jim Grieg. Other than his charming personality and dashing good looks, his passion for his forestry practice is what he is best known for. He received numerous accolades from a variety of state and national forestry organizations, and was interviewed about his forestry practices and expertise in sustainable forestry by a variety of publications including National Geographic. In the mid eighties Jim and Ed thought it wise to split up Jim's business because it made more sense economically, so Ed started up his own forestry business out of the Green Street Victorian. The same year owners of Plantation Tree Farm and Farm Camp approached Ed to consider purchasing the property that he and Jim had managed for over two decades. Ed thought it wise to consult his former mentor and they decided to purchase the property as partners. The following quote regarding Jim and Ed's practices on their property is from Board of Forestry member Dan Stapleton "They purchased it and made it their living workshop; showcasing different methods and ideas to fellow landowners who wanted to see things somewhere else before doing it on their lands. That 500 acres has had tours from state politicians, various state agencies, local county officials, visiting foreign foresters, scientists, film crews, many different homeowners' associations and landowner groups, and anyone who wanted to talk with Ed about the forest.
Eventually Ed and Doni had a house built and moved up to the property just about full time in 1995 splitting their time between Santa Cruz and Sonoma. He continued to practice forestry until his self-declared "retirement" in his late seventies. Sadly Doni passed in 2005 from cancer leaving Ed to go it alone for a few years until Merry came along. One day at the community market Merry approached Ed and asked him how it was going and he said he missed not having someone to go out to dinner with. "I will go to dinner with you" was Merry's reply. Ed and Merry were married in February of 2010 and they lived peacefully on the property until Ed's passing on December 5th of 2023. Ed is survived by his two sons and five grandchildren.