Edward Grant Stockwell, 88, of Bowling Green, Ohio passed away in his sleep, Monday May 16, 2022, at Heritage Corner Health Care Campus. He was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on June 11, 1933, to the late Dr. Frank W. and Margaret (Winters) Stockwell. Ed was preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years Janet (Wiranis), and siblings Frank, David, and Marsha.
Ed is survived by his sister-in-law Dorothea Stockwell, Madison, CT; sons Edward (Ted) Stockwell Jr. of Olmsted Falls, Ohio; Christopher Stockwell of Bowling Green, Ohio; and daughter Susie (Michael) Socha of Vermilion, Ohio. Ed is also survived by grandchildren Killian and Willow Socha; step grandchildren Matthew (Jennifer) and Mark (Angelique) Thomson; step great-granddaughter Cassie Thomson, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Ed graduated from Harvard in 1955 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Relations. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut in 1957, and his PhD from Brown University in 1960 focusing on demography and population studies. Ed started his career as a population analyst for the U.S. Bureau of the Census (1960-61), and Professor of Rural Sociology at UCONN (1961-71) before relocating with his family to Bowling Green in 1971. Ed was employed by BGSU as a Professor of Sociology from 1971 – 1997, where he continued to teach, research, and author/coauthor/edit multiple books and papers on population and society specializing in Infant mortality. Ed enjoyed the beach, a good single malt scotch, cryptic crossword puzzles, and was a fan of collegiate level athletics. He enjoyed supporting and cheering the BGSU Falcons on to victory and watching the success of UCONN womens basketball over the years.
Ed was named after his great uncle professional baseball player Edward Leslie Grant, who died fighting in WWI. He grew up at 154 High Street in Newburyport, MA, graduating from Governor Dummer Academy in 1951. He spent his summers on Plum Island, worked as a Lifeguard at Salisbury Beach where he met his wife Janet, and as a counselor at Camp Lawrence on Bear Island, Lake Winnipesaukee NH. After relocating to Ohio, Ed and Jan returned to Plum Island every summer to spend time with extended family and friends, visit old haunts, and wander the paths and beaches of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. He will be dearly missed.
Memorial contributions in Ed’s honor may be gifted to: Friends of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Inc.; 6 Plum Island Turnpike; Newburyport, MA 01950 (parkerriver.org/donation)
Services for Ed will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to Deck-Hanneman Funeral Home and Crematory, 1460 West Wooster Street, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402 www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com.
