Edward O’Brien Maskew / By Theresa Shadrix, aka Big Sister

Some would say he had his head in the clouds.

I’d argue it was more like he was reaching for the stars.

He dreamed of having his ashes buried on Mars. When that proved impossible, he decided he’d be content with having some sprinkled in the waters of Pascagoula, MS, where his story began in 1972.

There are a few things he wanted me to share; we discussed it just last week.

He loved his family.

Every single leaf and branch in his family tree brought him joy. He felt blessed by the family he grew up with, his wife, his children, his grandchildren, and the new family members we discovered when he turned 50.

He loved his friends.

He simply refused to meet a stranger. He was always sharing stories about the conversations he had with friends throughout the years, especially those from his time at Chili’s. He made friends wherever he went.

He loved his journey of misunderstandings.

As he grew older, he became more open about living with Asperger’s/Autism and being misunderstood.

He said it was part of the challenge of grasping the complexities of galaxies, even as he sometimes struggled with everyday tasks.

He loved life.

You didn’t have to be around him long to hear a joke or a humorous observation. He had favorite physicists and chess moves, as well as a vast array of musicians. He chose to focus on the light in life rather than the darkness.

He loved God.

When you hear time ticking away, you tend to share more about the One who created us all. Over the last few years, he often said he wasn’t afraid of dying, but he was worried about leaving everyone behind. He said God would be with us all, even when his particles disperse.

His life was filled with challenges, yet he always tried to focus on the blessings as best as he could. He would want you to do the same. Go for a walk, take care of yourself, stare at the stars, adopt a dog or a spider, cruise the water on a kayak, eat spicy, live with a little spice, and love your family and friends.

Eddie chose organ donation and cremation. We want to honor his life and his wishes. We are still finalizing plans for the service and will share details as soon as we have them.

In the meantime, please pray for all of his family and friends. We are sure going to miss him.

Eddie left this on my Facebook page the night before he passed. I'll treasure it.