Edwin Miles Read Jr. was born March 30, 1924 in Seattle, and passed away peacefully on Oct. 24, 2006 in Enumclaw at the age of 82.

Edwin attended Blessed Sacrament and St. Joseph grade schools and graduated from Seattle Prep in 1941. He studied chemical engineering at then Seattle College and did graduate work at the University of Washington.

In 1946 he married Catherine L. Hall, a nursing student at Seattle College.

Ed and Katie later moved to Longview to raise their four adopted children. In 1965 “Ted” followed a job opportunity to central Arkansas where he supervised construction of Arkansas Kraft Corp., a division of Green Bay Packaging Inc.

He retired as a vice president in the mid 1980s. After retirement, Ed served as principal at Scared Heart High School in Morrilton, Ark.

Ed underwent Deacon training through the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. He served St. Elizabeth parish next to his home until 1993 when he and Katie moved back to the Pacific Northwest.

Here Ed exercised his Diaconate at St. Hubert Catholic Church in Langley. At St. Hubert, Ed became well known for his planning skills, construction know-how and natural generosity.

In 2002 Ed and Katie moved to Enumclaw in the shadow of Mount Rainier, where they lived until his death.

Edwin is preceded in death by his infant son Mark; brothers John Paul, Dick, Bill (Fr. Denis) and Tom; and is survived by his wife Catherine; daughters Susan (Richard) Warwick and Rebecca (Douglas) Slater; sons Daniel (Caroline) and Peter (Diane); brothers Dave, Dan (Fr. Ignatius) and Joe; sister Carol Read; grandchildren Jennifer, Chris, Katie, Eryn, Michael and Adam, and great-grandson Tyrone.

A Rosary was held Friday, Oct. 27 at Sacred Heart in Enumclaw.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, with viewing one-hour prior at St. Hubert Catholic Church in Langley.

Cremation will follow and internment will be at St. Elizabeth Cemetery in Arkansas.

Donations may be made in memory of Deacon Ed to St. Hubert Building Fund (PO Box 388, Langley, WA 98260) or Franciscan Hospice (1717 South “J” Street, Tacoma, WA, 98405).

Arrangements are by Personal Alternative Funeral Services.