Ed Escallon - A Friend to Everyone

Ed loved the old race planes and always had a smile on his face.

Last week we learned our friend, everybody's friend, Ed Escallon, had passed away. It was a complete shock. He had the look of a guy who could run laps around a runner, the demeanor of person who had no cares in the world but took a year off to go to the beach to make sure, and enough love of life for a dozen average people.

The news of Ed's passing left me wishing for one last visit. The old saying, "Always leave them wanting more," works with so many occupations. Entertainment, business, and even the black market work best when applying this principle. Yet, it is an extremely rare human trait. Ed possessed it.

I sincerely felt cheated not being able to see him one last time. 

It's the strangest thing. When people are alive, even in the case of your closest friend, it seems odd to tell them, "You know what?  You're a good dude. I mean it. You're a first class person and I thought someone should tell you."  Maybe it's because we know it would sound as though, "..in case you die tomorrow," was coming next. Or, maybe it's something we know to be inherently difficult to respond to. Whatever the case may be, we don't say it. And, as we get older, we wish more and more that we had.

Here's to you Ed.  You were a great person. Everyone knew you by your smile and the PT with a similar grin. Ultimately, though, most people will remember you as a guy they were always glad to see.

If you remember Ed, you might want to attend the Ed Escallon Memorial Fly-In on September 28th, 2019, at Anderson (Indiana) Municipal Airport. Look for it on facebook for more details.

Additional bits about Ed:
About his passion for the Golden Age of Racing
http://supersolutionproject.blogspot.com/2011/05/nobody-builds-airplane-alone.html

About Ed and his most well known aircraft
https://generalaviationnews.com/2010/09/13/it-is-a-p-26/