Edward W. Maguire

Edward W. (Ed) Maguire passed away on October 11, 2015 surrounded by his family, in Cozad, Nebraska. Ed was born in Omaha, Nebraska on October 1, 1937 to Francis W. and Patricia A. (Duffy) Maguire. He graduated from Creighton Prep High School in 1956. After high school he served in the US Navy, with an honorable discharge. He worked his way through college, graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. During this time, he met and married Elizabeth A. (Betty) Schlenz on September 23, 1961 and the couple was blessed with three children from this marriage: Mike, Joe and Molly. After Betty died in 1991, Ed met Pat Swanson. They were married on September 18, 2001 and later moved to Cozad, NE. Ed retired from a career with the US Postal Service. He started working for the Omaha Post Office while attending college and later served as postmaster of the Fort Calhoun, NE station. In 1975 he was promoted to postmaster of the Lexington, NE station and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1992. He was involved in both Kiwanis Club and the American Legion Post in Lexington. We will miss his sense of humor and his love of woodworking and carpentry, playing cards, fishing, gardening, cooking and canning and deer hunting. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, family and friends. Most of all, Ed and his loving wife Pat loved spending time together. He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Betty. Ed will be missed by many including: his wife Patricia A. (Pat), sisters Sarah (Dick) Ruzicka, St. Petersburg, FL; Louise A. Strehle, Omaha, NE; Leah Maguire, St. Petersburg, FL; Sr. Shannon Maguire, Ursuline Order, Louisville, KY; his children: Mike (Patti) Maguire, Lexington, NE; Joe (Ruthie), Lincoln, NE; Molly Maguire (Bill Honke), Omaha, NE; stepchildren Kevin (Kelly) Swanson, Overton, NE; Bryce (Leah) Swanson, Eddyville, NE; Kristi Shafer, Overton, NE; Brooke Kohnen, Kearney, NE and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorials are suggested to Cozad’s Christ the King Catholic Church, Cozad Grand Generation Center, or the donor’s choice. Cremation was chosen. A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1220 Avenue M, Cozad, NE. Inurnment with military honors will be at 1:30 p.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery, Lexington, NE. A Rosary will be held on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. at the Church. Those wishing to sign the memorial book may do so on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad, which is in charge of arrangements.