Edmund A. Schofield

WORCESTER-Edmund A. Schofield, Jr., 71, of Worcester, died unexpectedly on Saturday, April 17, 2010, in the city.

He is survived by his sister, Frances (Mrs. Gerald) Gagne of Manchester, NH; his aunt, Vera Supernor, of Auburn, MA; a nephew, David Gagne, of Deerfield, NH; a niece, Patricia (Gagne) Thomas, of Rochdale; a grand-nephew, Benjamin Thomas, of Rochdale; several cousins; and countless friends and acquaintances who will forever miss him. His parents preceded him in death.

Ed was born on November 26, 1938, in Worcester, the son of Edmund A. and Phyllis L. (Parslow) Schofield. He graduated in 1956 from South High School and went on to serve in the U.S. Navy and in the Naval Reserve. He earned degrees at Clark University and The Ohio State University. His research endeavors and inquisitive nature led him to studies in Antarctica and to England. Though his primary focus was in the field of botany, Ed was interested in a wide variety of subjects. He is best known in academic circles for his John Muir and Henry David Thoreau / Walden Woods scholarship. He had been a member of The Thoreau Society since 1957.

Environmental concerns also played a crucial role in Ed's life. He organized Ohio State's first Earth Day celebration in 1970. He held educational positions with such entities as the Sierra Club, The Institute of Ecology, Harvard's Arnold Arboretum, and Tower Hill Botanic Garden. When development threatened Walden Woods in the 1980s, Ed worked with a few other individuals to form the Thoreau Country Conservation Alliance. Nationwide publicity of that group's efforts led to Ed receiving a phone call from Don Henley of the Eagles, and the rest, as they say, is Walden Woods Project history. Ed was the president of the Thoreau Society during its fiftieth-anniversary "Jubilee" year of 1990-1991. He most recently served as the president of the Friends of Thoreau Country, based in Concord. All of the extensive files of Ed's research will be deposited with the Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods in Lincoln.

Friends will remember Ed as a downright nice guy: a calm and gentle man who had a constant craving for learning and for discovering new information. In recent years, his attention turned to the cultural and historical efforts being undertaken in his own hometown. Ed volunteered many hours of his time for Preservation Worcester, the Salisbury Mansion, the Friends of Hope Cemetery, Club 21, the Bus Riders Advocacy Committee, and a variety of other organizations. His hearty smile and optimistic outlook will be remembered by many of the Worcesterians whose lives he touched.

A memorial service and celebration of Ed's life will be held at the United Congregational Church, 6 Institute Road, Worcester, on Saturday, April 24th, at 1 p.m. Additionally, a memorial service will also be held during The Thoreau Society's Annual Gathering in Concord during the second weekend in July 2010. Interment will be private in Rural Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Ed's name to one of the following organizations: Preservation Worcester, 10 Cedar Street, Worcester, MA 01609; or the Gaudette Fund for Local History & Genealogy, Worcester Free Public Library, 3 Salem Square, Worcester, MA 01608. Arrangements are under the care of CALLAHAN & FAY BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 61 Myrtle St. To place online condolences please visit www.callahanfay.com.