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Ed Tyler Obituary

TYLER
ED TYLER (Age 42)

On Wednesday, November 8, 2006, of Mount Rainier, MD, formerly of New York City. Son of Edward Tyler and the late Kathryn Metz Tyler; brother of Teresa, Diane, Kristy, Karyn, Kelli, Danny and Stephen. Also survived by many relatives and friends. Ed is a respected performing artist in the art and dance community. Relatives and friends may call at GASCH'S FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 4739 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, MD on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 from 2 to 5 p.m., where the memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. during the gathering hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to "The Center" in honor of Ed Tyler, PO Box 5800, New York, NY 10087.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Nov. 12, 2006.

Memories and Condolences
for Ed Tyler

26 Entries

Colleen

November 12, 2024

Yup, yup.

Colleen

November 6, 2023

Yup, still here, Ed.

Colleen Kelley

November 14, 2022

Still here Ed.

Royce Priem

November 6, 2021

Ed, you believed in my capacity to dance when no one else did. You weren´t just a mentor, you were a friend, and one with the capacity to see beyond the veil to what lay beneath. You are sorely missed, we need more like you. I know I do.

Karyn Black

November 8, 2007

Words do no justice to how much I miss you Ed. Every day something reminds me of you. And today is harder than I had anticipated. I sit here listening to your music, with your orange velvet scarf around me. It is like I can feel your arms around me in one of your amazing hugs. I can see your bright blue eyes and your huge smile, and feel your scratchy beard against my cheek. I know you are at peace, but I still miss you. Again, words do no justice to how much I miss you.

Col

May 31, 2007

I still miss you, Ed.

January 3, 2007

Our thoughts and prayers to Fish and family at this difficult time.
Liz Ebner Weigand, et. al.

Janet and Norman Baxter

December 5, 2006

We knew Kay, Kelli, and Karen, and through them knew of Ed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Tyler family.

Joan Alcock

November 21, 2006

I was so sad to hear about Eddie - as he was known on the Cheverly Swim Team 20+ years ago. My thoughts and prayers go to the Tyler family.

Royce Priem

November 20, 2006

Ed -

I count myself fortunate to have known you in any fashion, and my fondest memory will be comparing hospitalizations!

This isn't goodbye, but rather, hope to see you again. My thoughts go with the Tyler family and firends.

Susan Castellan

November 20, 2006

I was so sorry to hear about Ed's death. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Tyler Family.

Edo and Shelley, Octpber 2005

Shelley McGrew

November 20, 2006

Ed - though always exploring with words, you transended them - finding the common human qualities within movement and gesture - connecting us all - making us one. You are always with me.

Colleen Kelley

November 19, 2006

Newton’s First Law of Motion: An object at rest will remain at rest until impacted by a greater external force.

ED: motion
ME: inert

I try pinpointing exactly when Ed first rammed into me, but I am having difficulty. It is doubly hard because Ed and I lead—-well led—-parallel lives. Our relationship, in and of itself, defies scientific law. How can two entities traveling at the same speed—-me, driven by outside forces, and Ed, by his own self-motivation—-how can these two entities traveling on parallel courses ever intersect? But we did—-no doubt due to effort on his part, not mine.

In fact, I laugh to myself when I recall his comments about my inertia. He said, and I quote, “I can only wonder how fascinating your work would be if you could only get to it.” And that’s what marvels me most: Ed got to it. He converted potential energy into kinetic. Since I shared his primordial matter, I will continue to stand in wonder at how he got things done, and got them done so beautifully.

Recently, I saw Ed at an artists’ reception, the opening for his acrylic paintings among works by other artists. When I arrived, he stood center-stage among a throng of people in a very small room. I cowered. I am sure it was unbeknownst to him that he, himself, was the ‘force’ to overcome my inertia. Meaning, I never would have ventured outside if he hadn’t invited me. His invite was the momentum I needed to get going.

That night, Ed simultaneously discovered and approached me and I-—expecting the typical social niceties—-prepared for a courteous greeting, a smile-—perhaps—-a quick peck on the cheek. I forgot. This was Ed. He wrapped his arms around my waist; clasped his wrists at the small of my back, tipped back on his heels and catapulted me. I clung as he swung my feet into air and spun me. Centrifugal motion.

And, it wasn’t until I wrote these words that I realized: I had danced with Ed. Right then and there, I had danced with Ed Tyler. Me. I was his partner-—in that moment—-and there was no one, no thing, no difference between us. Fusion.

Again, Ed had defied physics, crossing those parallel lines, making the quantum leap from him to me.

But Ed always did that to me. He always made me feel like I was the only woman in the room. The only woman in the world. In the universe. In my parallel universe.

Better yet, he made me feel that he and I were at the center of that universe, watching it spin out of control, away from us. We were the axis—-the Big Bang-—of chemical, electro-magnetic, biological chaos. Not theory, mind you. It was our reality. Our shared reality.

Let me explain, what audiences saw as props on stage are personal possessions to Ed and me. Light-boxes; prescription vials; mattresses; straight jackets; and, white-noisy and snowy TV screens. They are not a depiction for us, but rather, an affliction.

I was-—I am-—blown away by Ed’s performances, by his installations, by his art. His portrayal of the chaos inside our heads was so perfect that it at once attracted and refracted me. It was a force at once centripetal and centrifugal. Said simply: it sucked me in and spit me out. To see, on stage, on canvas, on display what we hide from those we love—-hell-—what we hide from total strangers, to me, that is Ed’s genius. To speak the unspeakable. To un-blind the blind. To move the un-moveable.

Ed moved me. Deeply. He is unparalleled and my universe is empty without him. My despair echoes.

And so…

And so the ending is the beginning, and as I began with Newton’s First Law of Motion, I will end with it: An object at rest will remain at rest until impacted by a greater external force. However, the converse is also true: an object in motion will stay in motion unless a greater external force brings it to rest.

Ed is now at rest.

A. Noyes

November 17, 2006

I might have been one of the last writers to interview Ed about his passion for dance. I only met him once and spent several delightful hours recounting the various twists and turns his life had taken. The story was slated to run in DC Style magazine, but given his passing, the profile piece has been posted online in its original form as a tribute to Ed. --

Suzanne (Susie) Cosme

November 15, 2006

Some called him Eddie -- I called him Ed-twerd with the greatest of fondness. My dear friend's little brother who was my dear friend as well. Long before he set the performance art world on fire, we danced a polka for Eddie's starring role in the Music Man. That was high school and he had no where to go but up from there. His memory will live in my heart for the bright soul that he was while on this earth.

Sarah Schaffer

November 15, 2006

I'm so sorry to hear the news. The Schaffer family's thoughts are with you all.

Gene Delgado

November 14, 2006

So sad to hear of Ed's passing. We knew Ed socially and greatly admired his work and his calm kindness. Our thoughts are with him and his family.
Gene Delgado & Jim Allen

Holly and Ed, taken after rehearsal of Sanctuary

Holly Bottomley

November 14, 2006

Ed and I worked together for nearly a year at Lambda Rising. He was like a big brother to me. I called him “Eddie” all the time, and I’m pretty sure it irritated him, but he let me get away with it just the same. :) Ed was someone people were drawn to. He was incredibly intelligent, creative, witty, insightful, and talented. I remember watching the rehearsal of _Sanctuary_, nearly breathless from excitement at how much talent he possessed. He brought something new to the art world, and indeed people who did not even know him still comment on how _Sanctuary_ changed their way of thinking about art and performance.

Ed was also very sensitive and kind. He had many stories of family and friends and had love for many people. He left this earth too soon, but Ed did more during his lifetime than many people could ever hope to accomplish. He even joined the circus for a while!!! With all of those experiences came much wisdom, and Ed had much to share. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to get to know him.

I wish you all peace, love, and comfort during this time.

Mary Ellen Gropp (Cosme)

November 13, 2006

How strange having just been in Cheverly Saturday, telling my boyfriend about the people I grew up with and the crazy stunts we pulled! Ed was simply one of the sweetest people God put on the planet and I remember him and the
Tyler crew fondly! Draw strength from each other and God above as you weather this hardship.

Mark Nardone

November 13, 2006

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ed's brother Steve and the entire Tyler family. Your friends from Cheverly are saddened by your family's loss.

Jeff

November 13, 2006

So, so sorry to learn of this. I saw Ed at his house only on October 28... it was great to see him, even though we were only acquainted a little.

Paul Jochum

November 13, 2006

It was soo saddening to hear of Ed's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Tyler family.

Jason Valeo

November 12, 2006

Your brother opened my eyes to many things in the little time I knew him. I am very sadenned to hear of his passing. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Ron Ritenour

November 12, 2006

Ed, you will be sorely missed from all of your friends.

Daniel Burkholder

November 12, 2006

I remember running into Ed at a local coffee shop while we were both on our way somewhere else - we ended up having an hour long conversation that ranged from dance, art theory, identity, the biology of seeing, teaching, and post-modern commentry. It was Ed at his best - intense, provocative, intellegent. I will dearly miss having him in our midst.

Kelly Bond

November 12, 2006

I'm very sad to be so far away from my friends--my family--during this time of sharing our love and memories of Ed. Please know that you are a part of my thoughts of Ed, and in that way, we are all still together.

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