SHERBURNE – Edward Albert Hotaling, 80, of State Route 12, Sherburne, died June 22, 2012 at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford, after a two-year battle with dementia.
Ed was born in the town of Columbus on Oct. 2, 1931 to the late Clifford and Grace Balcom Hotaling. For six years, Ed attended the Sherburne school system’s District #5 one room school house on what is now called Bingham-Collins Hill Road before moving on to Sherburne High School where he graduated in the Class of 1949. After high school, Ed worked as a tractor mechanic for Lyle Sisson Feed and John Deere Machinery in Sherburne before joining the U.S. Air Force in January 1952 to January 1956 where he proudly served in the Korean War.
Ed was an expert tractor and farm machinery mechanic who worked for Valley Supply Co. in South New Berlin and for Norwich Farm Implement. He also sold Arctic Cat snowmobiles for many years from his shop at his home and was awarded trips to Yellowstone National Park, Hawaii, and a Caribbean Cruise. During the past 20 years, Ed was treasured in Chenango and Otsego counties as “The Pump Man” with his ability to solve water pump and plumbing problems in a flash.
Ed married Shirley Richardson on Aug. 10, 1957 and had two wonderful daughters. The four of them spent many summers with the Hotaling family at Moffitt Beach camping and enjoying the family. They took many trips to Florida and Indiana and went snowmobiling up north in the Adirondacks. He was a family man and loved spending time with his brothers and sisters and their families.
After his divorce, he met a wonderful lady, Mary Wildenstein. They had 17 wonderful years together camping in Pennsylvania and taking their last trip to Colorado. Mary has been a very loving and devoted companion spending time by his side everyday and continuing this when he was placed in the veterans’ home.
Ed is survived by his dear friend, Mary Wildenstein; his daughters Jane Beck (Russ Wells) of Vernon and Julie Dockter (John) of Port St. Lucie, FL; his three wonderful grandsons, Michael Jenne of North Conway, NH, Jeffrey Ernestine of Buffalo and Casey Marshall of Morrisville. He is also survived by sisters, Marian Meyers of Sherburne, Irene Izard, Anna Senn and Ruth (Richard) Horton of New Berlin; brothers, Lester Hotaling of Southwick, MA and Clifford Hotaling of Sodus; and many nieces and nephews. Ed was predeceased by a special uncle, Henry Hotaling, brothers-in-law, James Meyers, Jr, Robert Senn and Glenn Izard; sisters-in-law Jane Hotaling and Arlene Hotaling, and a special nephew, James Meyers III.
Funeral Services will be held at noon on Monday from the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 10 S. Main St., Sherburne, followed by interment with military honors in the North Norwich Cemetery.
Friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Monday from 11 a.m. until noon prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Ed’s memory to the Special Needs Group (Amish) 310 South Goffdale Rd., Gordonville, PA 17527.
To send a condolence or sign the Book of Memories online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com.