Edward Morrill

Edward Leslie Morrill, 81, of New Ipswich, NH, formerly of Acton, MA died suddenly on Wed., June 27th, 2012 in Ayer, MA. Edward; adventurer, pioneer, entrepreneur and a man of many talents and wide-ranging interests was born on January 5, 1931 in Newton, MA, first son of Lyman and Irene Morrill. Independent, proud and fearless, among his early exploits as an eight-year old was when he bought two homing pigeons with pocket money from his paper route, and became the first neighborhood communicator of his day. By the time he was ten, he was making homemade skis with his Dad in the basement of the family home, and became an expert skier taking on the most difficult trails in the White Mountains. Many years later he would serve as a member of the Ski Patrol at the Nashoba Valley Ski Area.As a young teenager he walked into the Teepee Tackle in Newton, fascinated by the new business of an archery shop where the owner, took an immediate liking to Eds curiosity and forthcoming manner; taught him how to make bows and arrows and Ed became his reliable apprentice and archery teacher.He became interested in sailing when his dad bought a little Wren. He raced in the Chowder Races at Eastern Point, Gloucester MA and won first prize. This led to getting his Skippers Certificate for small sailing boats and to his first official summer job at sixteen when he skippered sailing vessels at Bickfords Landing taking responsibility for 10 to 12 passengers on sailing tours out of Gloucester Harbor. During the summers of his college years, he began working in his fathers company, the Morrill Construction Company, and it was during this period that his passion for aviation began. He started with a handbook on flying and soon began taking lessons at Hanscom Airfield in Bedford, MA until he got his pilots license so he could travel more easily among the construction sites. He later went on to earn his Flight Instructor and Instrument Wings, and two of his favorite students were his daughters. He joined the Army during the Korean War and eventually was stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia, where he met and married a lovely Georgia schoolteacher, Nellie Witt Tew, who was teaching on the base. When his tour of duty was complete, he and his bride returned to New England where he re-joined Morrill Construction Company. They eventually moved to Acton, MA where he struck out on his own as a highly respected entrepreneur and real estate developer. He was a charter member of Acton Rotary, a staunch supporter of the Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Assabet Bank. Nellie taught school in Stow and the two of them brought up their family of two daughters, Corene and Kim, in Acton where they were active members of the Acton Congregational Church. For a while Ed took up oil painting, worked with artists on the North Shore, and produced notable paintings that grace his home. In later years Ed and Nellie shared the fun and challenge of breeding and training Labrador Retrievers, which became their major occupation when they retired to their beautiful home on a large estate in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. They were prize-winning competitors in Field Trials that took them across the country, including two adventurous treks to Alaska with their grandchildren. Later, they served as judges in the National Field Trial Retriever Club. Five years ago, Nellie, his wife of fifty-three devoted and full years died on June 27, 2007, after battling a long illness (coincidently five years to the day prior to Eds passing). A little over a year later, Ed was re-united with an old friend of the family, Betty-Ann Palmbach, whose husband had died some years earlier, and Ed and Betty-Ann were married on July 16, 2011. Throughout his life, Ed was a man who saw opportunities for improvement and made them, offered help and guidance where needed, was ever eager to learn new things, to teach his tools of the trade, and constantly to push to the ultimate of his interests. He is remembered fondly to have done this with his children, grand-children, great grand-children and step-sons. And so Ed says farewell to his wife, Betty-Ann, his two daughters and their spouses, Corene and Maurice Vaillancourt of Los Gatos CA, KimAnn and Alan Thomas of Littleton MA. Also four grandchildren, Landon and Sarah Vaillancourt, Melissa (Thomas) and Ryan Mason, Lara (Thomas) and William Morrill; Five great grandchildren, Carter and Elle Mason , Ava and Austin Morrill, Dylan Vaillancourt, his sister, Ann Morrill Riker of Cambridge, brother, Lyman Perry Morrill of Gloucester; and step-sons, Donald and Todd Palmbach. Relatives and friends are invited to the memorial service on Sat. Nov. 17th, 2012 at 1:00pm at 63 Taylor Rd., New Ipswich, NH. (Visiting hours at the Acton Funeral Home were held in June.) Memorial contributions may be made to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. attn. Memorial Contributions, One Waterfowl Way, Memphis, TN 38120 or at www.ducks.org. guest book at www.actonfuneralhome.com