Edmund Jefferson Danziger, Jr. left the loving arms of his earthly family and was embraced by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. Ed was a devoted husband, caring father, doting grandpa, a man of strong faith, and a loyal friend. He died of cancer at age 80.
Ed was born on February 10, 1938, in Newark, NJ to Edmund Jefferson Danziger, Sr. and Marion Hurst Danziger. The sunny disposition of his father and his mother’s focus on home and family helped shape Ed in all his future relationships. He spent his childhood years in Hillside, NJ, and there with younger brother, Doug, he roamed the wooded parklands that bordered his backyard, thus the beginnings of a lifetime love of the outdoors. Even in later years, he and Doug continued their wilderness walks and sailed on nearby lakes. They shared their love of reading, especially of American history and U.S. presidents, and the Harry Bosch series. He spent his childhood summers at camps in Maine and vacationed along the Jersey shore.
Ed attended The Pingry School for grades 1-10 and finished his secondary education at Bloomfield Hills High School in 1956. At Bloomfield, he earned varsity letters in football and basketball and was elected President of Student Council in his senior year.
In the fall of 1956, Ed began his freshman year at The College of Wooster, planning a career in Christian ministry. Two life changing events happened to him at Wooster. The first was that he immersed himself in history classes and discovered that he loved doing research in libraries and archives. He focused on graduate studies in history rather than in the ministry. The second was that he met Margaret Jane Christy, sister of his Wooster roommate, Dick Christy, and fell in love with her. Ed and Margaret remained lifetime best friends and travel partners with Dick and wife Dorie.
Ed earned his doctorate in history at the University of Illinois in 1966. During graduate school years, he taught history at Chanute Air Force Base, in Rantoul, IL and accepted a one-year appointment teaching history at SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY. Ed and Margaret married on August 19, 1961, and with that marriage, Ed gained three more brothers and a sister. After his mother’s death in 1962, his father met and married Dorothy Nicodemus, and Ed welcomed two more sisters and a brother into his family.
Late summer 1966, with PhD in hand, Ed and Margaret moved to Bowling Green OH, where Ed spent the next 46 years at Bowling Green State University teaching American History Survey, History of the American West, Native American History, Ohio History, and American Environmental History. Nearly every summer Ed did scholarly research in the Library of Congress, National Archives, and many university library collections. He refreshed his lectures with new found information and published four books and many scholarly articles about Native Americans. He served as the BGSU History Department chairperson from 1981-1985 and was appointed a Distinguished Teaching Professor by the BGSU Board of Trustees in 1995. He changed the lives of many BGSU students with his great care and mentoring. He was a cherished colleague for many BGSU faculty.
Hiking and backpacking in wildernesses was one of his personal passions. He hikedthe 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail one and a half times, and twice he crossed England on the 192-mile Coast to Coast Trail. For years, he hiked weekly in Toledo and Lucas County MetroParks, with Oak Openings Preserve being his favorite. His other favorite pastime was sailing on Lakes Erie and Huron.
Most of all was the passion for his family and adherence to Christian values that marked his adult years. He loved his wife Margaret, his son John, and his daughter Anne unconditionally. He introduced them all to American history, back packing, tent camping, hiking and sailing. Many are the battlefields, national parks, and wildernesses that the family toured under his guidance.
During Ed’s retirement he continued reading books every single day, did yard work, served on many Epworth United Methodist Church committees, and volunteered at Flower Hospital Hickman Center. He was loved and befriended by many as he, too, loved and befriended many during his life of service.
Ed was a member of the Bowling Green Kiwanis Club, many historical societies, and Epworth United Methodist Church in Toledo. He was thankful for all his blessings that were showered on him throughout his life, including his family, BGSU colleagues and students, friends in Bowling Green and Toledo, his hiking buddies, the BG Flamingos, the Wesley Group and Jo and Deb. Ed was a kind, generous, loving, optimistic gentleman, who took much of life very seriously, yet had a delightful sense of humor.
Ed is survived by his wife of 57 years, Margaret, son John, daughter Anne (Jarrod) Sito and grandchildren: Abigail Jane, Oliver Edmund and Ione Jean; his brother Doug (Marlene) Danziger; niece Reagan Danziger (Eric) Folk; brothers Robert (Patty) Christy, Dick (Dorie) Christy, Jim (Ruth Ann) Christy, and Jon (Mary Lou) Nicodemus; sisters Charlotte Christy (Ed) Randolph and Diane Nicodemus Bachtel, and many nieces and nephews. His parents and sister Janene Nicodemus (Tom) Scovel preceded him in death.
Thanks to Epworth United Methodist Church congregation and staff, Toledo Clinic, Wayne State University Health Center, Flower Hospital Hickman Center, Visiting Angels, Promedica Hospice, and Walker Funeral Home and Crematory for their kindnesses during Ed’s final months of life.
Ed will be buried in a private ceremony in the Kinsman (OH) Cemetery with the Christy family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Epworth United Methodist Church Legacy Endowment Fund would be greatly appreciated.
A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 16, 2019, with visitation at 10:00am and the Ceremony at 11:00am at Epworth United Methodist Church, 4855 West Central Avenue, Toledo, OH. Lunch will be served in Epworth’s Family Life Center immediately following the service. Arrangements by Walker Funeral Home (419-841-2422) and condolences may be shared with the family at walkerfuneralhomes.com.
