Edward James Feeney

1927 - 2022

FEENEY, Edward James, age 95, of Manakin-Sabot, passed away unexpectedly on July 6, 2022, at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, Va. Ed Feeney was predeceased by his mother, Marie Feeney; his father, Edward Andrew Feeney; his brother, Gerald Feeney, all of Chicago, Ill.; his first wife, Wilma Vineyard Feeney, of Redding, Conn.; and his second wife, Caroline Gayle Feeney, of Richmond, Va.

Ed was born in South Florida on March 21, 1927. At age 16, upon graduating from Leo High School in Chicago, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. In 1950, Ed graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., with a Bachelor of Science degree. He began his career with Emery Air Freight. Ed rose through the ranks at Emery to become Vice President of System Performance. During his tenure at Emery, Ed successfully applied the behavioral principles of Professor B.F. Skinner, with outstanding results. This work landed him a featured role alongside B.F. Skinner in the 1972 film, "Business Behaviorism and the Bottom Line." By the time of his resignation in 1973, Ed was instrumental in Emery becoming one of the most profitable companies on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1973, Ed started Feeney Associates, a management consulting firm specializing in improving performance through the application of behavioral principles. During this time Ed wrote the highly successful "Map for Action" sales training program for the transportation industry. This program was used by FedEx ground service and its forerunners for 25 years. Ed went on to work with many of the largest organizations around the world to improve performance and increase profits. By 1990, Ed was one of only three people to be given a lifetime achievement award by the Organizational Behavior Management Network for applying behavior modification in organizations.

Ed lived in Redding, Connecticut and Wellington, Florida, before moving to Richmond in 1993. An esteemed amateur golfer and instructor, Ed won over 25 club championships throughout his amateur career. Ed's most memorable moment in golf came in 1970 when he tangled with one of the best in golf, the legendary Arnold Palmer. Playing in Westchester, N.Y., Ed beat Arnold Palmer in the match and relieved him of their $5 wager. In 2003, he began to study where golf instruction could be improved and designed a new process called Behavior Golf Instruction. Ed applied this process and spent his days giving free golf lessons while providing a free website for both golf instructors and students. Ed also gave lessons to the first female PGA President, Suzy Whaley. Ed was a member of the U.S. PGA, Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury, Conn., West Palm Golf & Polo Club in Wellington, Fla. and The Dominion Club in Glen Allen, Va.

Ed loved traveling, the theater and fine dining. He was a great storyteller and enjoyed entertaining friends and new acquaintances. The accounts were often drawn from personal experiences often deriving from the golf course or his professional career. The stories often conveyed a message that you could take away and apply to life. Ed was loyal to his friends and his employees.

Ed is survived by his cousins, Jan Feeney Vogel of Paradise, Mich., Andrew John Feeney of Washington, D.C. and Ellen Wetzel Feeney of Bath, Mich. He is also survived by his stepsons, John Broaddus Gayle of Manakin-Sabot, Va., Frank Wentzel Gayle of Gaithersburg, Md.; and his devoted and best friend, Gayle Wilburn Gray of Richmond, Va.

Ed's burial was private at St. Mary's Cemetery in Evergreen Park, Ill.

There will be a celebration of Ed's life on Tuesday, August 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Country Club of Virginia, 6031 Saint Andrews Lane, Richmond, Va. 23226. Valet provided.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to the Richmond SPCA at 2519 Hermitage Road, Richmond, Va. 23220.