Unassuming, Kind and Heartwarming: Ed Larson, a Bees legend

Ed Larson stopped by the Bees' front office toward the end of last week.
Just about each day this season, out of his love for Burlington Baseball, and his connection to it, Ed would drive through the parking lot at Community Field. No one really could speculate as to his thoughts as he did. Every once in a while, he would park at the curb, ease out of his white car and totter in for a visit.
He did that late last week. Parked at the curb and came in. He sat in General Manager Kim Parker's office.
"How's things goin'?", he would say.
And, Kim told him, "Good."
"The team is doin' well," Ed would offer, and Kim would acknowledge that, indeed they were.
Ed stopped in typically on Fridays after he and a group of friends would meet at McDonalds for coffee and try to solve world problems. Each visit Kim would ask if they had found a solution and his answer was always the same. Ed would always offer words of encouragement and tell stories of the good ol days when Winter Meetings were more of a party.
Ed slowly stood. Two hands on the top of his cane for support. As he was walking out Kim's door, she asked him if he knew Nick, who had joined the staff at the beginning of the current season. Ed looked over at Nick and said he thought they had met before.
He smiled the same infectious smile he had for everyone he greeted.
"How's things going?" he asked Nick and told him he was happy he was on board.
Ed used to come to every game at Community Field. He was an integral part of baseball in Burlington, and President of the Burlington Baseball Association for a length. More than that, he served as President and Vice-President of the A Level Midwest League for more than 30 years. He served the people of Burlington in a multitude of other ways as well. He did so graciously and intelligently.
On game nights over the years Ed would shelter himself from inclement weather in the press box at the top of the stands. As time went on, he began to have to use his cane to hook on to the railing of the box seats to lower himself to, and to rise from, the front row of the bleachers. Even then, he was sure to wave to the folks up in the small confines above him. By then, if the weather threatened, he simply went home.
The visit to the office last week was typical of Ed. Unassuming, kind and heartwarming. Even if it was for just a few minutes. Those minutes with Ed always made a person feel good. For those of us at Community Field, they were the last we would share.
Ed Larson died this week. He was 90 years old. It would be a challenge, during all the time he was part of the Bees family, to remember him having ever uttered a harsh word. It would be more difficult to find a person who contributed more to the team. His work for the Burlington Bees is immeasurable and everlasting, as are the gifts he left to the community. Just as immeasurable and everlasting as Big Ed's heart. Bees
Baseball isforever grateful. We will miss him.