Edward “Ed” Clark Driese, age 86, of Gloucester, passed away at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital on Sept. 20, 2019 after several years of declining health.
He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and will be missed terribly by all who knew him. Ed was born on Aug. 18, 1933 in Dearborn, Michigan, to parents, Kenneth Duvall and Nelle Arlene Driese.
He enjoyed playing basketball while growing up in Dearborn and was delighted by a newspaper typo that resulted in the replacement of the “o” with an “i” in the second word of his team’s name, the Hot Shots. His family enjoyed travel to the western U.S. and he remained fond of the Grand Tetons and the West his whole life.
He graduated from Dearborn High School before leaving to study at the University of Michigan, where he ultimately earned a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. He was a lifelong Michigan fan. His family built a summer cottage “up North” near Traverse City, Michigan, in the 1950s, which he enjoyed very much and visited throughout his life.
Ed moved to Northern Virginia to work for Melpar, Inc., an electrical engineering firm. He soon met his wife of 61 years, Barbara McCall, who had moved to Northern Virginia from Alabama to teach school, and he remained devoted to her for the rest of his life. She was by his side until he died.
After several years at Melpar, Ed went to work for Scope Electronics and was eventually promoted to President and CEO of the company. The Scope did groundbreaking work in many areas, including computer science, scanning technology, voice recognition, and military applications.
Ed and Barbara retired in 1996 and moved to a home on the Severn River, Gloucester. He became an avid woodworker and spent many happy hours in his shop building furniture and working on other projects around the house.
In addition to being an engineer, Ed had a remarkable artistic ability, entertaining his children and grandchildren with elaborate cartoons and drawings. He was also a devoted tennis player and enjoyed tennis with friends for much of his life, playing well into his 70s. Most importantly, Ed was known for his kindness towards all who knew him.
In addition to his wife, survivors include their four children, Kenneth Lee Driese (Ellen), Kimberly Arlene Rolloff (T), Clark McCall Driese (Laurie), Georgia Emily Rullan (Joe); five grandchildren, Bei Driese, Ruess Rolloff, Jesse Driese, Manny and Sofia Rullan.
In Ed’s memory, contributions may be made to the Old Mission Historical Society c/o Jim Hall, 12700 Peninsula Dr., Traverse City, Mich. 49686, or to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 N. Long Lake Rd., #D, Traverse City, Mich. 49681. The former will plant a tree in Ed’s name.
Services will be held at a later date. Services under the direction of Hogg Funeral Home.