Amherst Magazine Edward Greaves '58

Ed Greaves succumbed to cancer on July 14, 2001. Ed lived a uniquely productive and purposeful life. A life  of dedication to his loved ones and chosen involvements, love for his fellow man and, perhaps most important, an underlying sense of perspective and humor, made everyone who knew him very proud of that friendship.

Ed arrived at Amherst in the fall of 1954, a happy-go-lucky and carefree product of Sayville (Long Island) High School and the Great South Bay where he learned sailing skills and acquired a lifelong love of the sea. Ed departed Amherst, cum laude in hand, a serious student with a determination to make his life meaningful. He had begun a lifelong practice of setting the bar a little bit higher than what others of us might have considered their comfort zone. At Harvard Business School he graduated with distinction and achieved Baker Scholar recognition. He went on to realize success in a variety of business experiences. While starting out in the large corporate world, Ed's career evolved to smaller, more entrepreneurial involvements as operator, investor, consultant, or board member. It was here Ed felt most challenged, and most able to get an idea or newtechnology up and running.

Ed and Connie raised three lovely daughters and led a private life that balanced social consciousness and community service with a desire to retreat at times to more secluded surroundings. Long before its current notoriety, Ed and Connie discovered the Puerto Rican Island of Vieques and built a lovely hilltop villa amidst pastures and tropical lushness to escape winter's woes. Their summer outpost is a similar delight at the southeast entrance to Eastern Harbor in South Addison, ME. From there they pursued Ed's avid love of cruising the Maine and Nova Scotia coast aboard his yacht, Caritas.

Service to others was an important component of Ed's life. His undying faith in God and trust in his fellow man led him to the Maine Seacoast Missionary Society in Bar Harbor. The Mission is a multi-faceted community support effort serving the mostly rural, economically challenged coastal area of Downeast Maine and its outlying islands. Ed served ten years as president of the board and spearheaded funding efforts and the expansion of social services. The Maine Times nicely summarized his efforts: "He brought his enormous talents to a sleepy organization, but without rocking the Sunbeam, the good ship that brought ministers and a good meal to islanders. He worked tirelessly at all of the chores. A new Sunbeam, a more active ministry, a refurbished seaman's chapel Downeast, all accomplished before the organization recognized the value of this gentleman from away He was an unassuming giant at a time in our history when there are very few others."

Ed loved classical music, nurtured by four years in the Amherst Glee Club and numerous other choral groups along the way. He served on the boards of the Boston Early Music Society and the Portland String Quartet. His fascination with sailing and the Maine coast helped found the Friends of the Nash Island Lighthouse, resulting in the saving of this Downeast landmark off Addison.

Ed is survived by his wife of forty-one years, Cornelia Alden Greaves; daughters Jennifer W. Thompson-Greaves, Carolyn R. Greaves, and Patricia A. Greaves; sister Sylvia Greaves Norton; and grandchildren Hannah and William Thompson-Greaves. He was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church of Portland where a memorial service was held. Ushers included several Amherst and HBS friends, including Bruce Biddle '57, Irv Grousbeck '56, David Hicks '58, Amos Hostetter '58, Steven Swope '58, Nils Peterson '58, and James Bartlett '59. A second memorial service was held at the Maine Seacoast Mission in Bar Harbor.

Nils Peterson '58