After making it through the work-at-home year of limited engagement, heath challenges and stir-craziness, Ed Redmond died of an unidentified freak condition February 2, 2021. Following Phillip and James, then Salesianum, college (U of D), and a WCU Masters, and a year or two of teaching, he found his way in 1988 to a life filled with joy-at-work in the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. He was a George Washington fan, and a historian. The two interests met at the Map Room, when he began to compile a list of all the known surveys by George Washington. Over the next thirty years, Ed developed into a full-bore map geek (his term) and along the way significantly advanced GW scholarship relating to Washington’s years in the land acquisition business before he was called to serve the Continental Army. He was multi-term President of the Washington Map Society and before his eyes got bad, travelled as an educational arm of the library giving talks to other map fiends and George Washington groups. The Map business is a small collector-driven community, and he was ever reporting gives and takes and deals and trades in acquisition and funding of rare map additions to the “Collection” as his colleagues call it. He was upbeat mostly, though a curmudgeon overall; he did not complain about the lousy health hand he was dealt. Ed put up with a long list of hassles, including seizures, two separate rare eye diseases (different eyes) and side effects of long-term medications. He came to avoid travel for fear of sight limitations and seizures, and experienced some isolation because of it. Still, he kept in touch by phone and was a surprisingly strong student of politics, especially the goings on at Capitol Hill and the gang the Library was designed to serve. He was a social gentleman, and understood manners. Ed is survived by his Mom Pat Redmond and two brothers: Joe and Elaine Redmond, their two kids (Joe and Jessica); P.J. and Natalie Redmond also have two- (Dan and Mike.) Join us Saturday March 6 for 11 am ‘visitation’ then noon Mass at St Agnes (233 Market Street West Chester 19380), then burial at the St Agnes Cemetery, to join his Dad. All are invited to all. This week and next week please phone some people in your life who may be socially or geographically remote, and at risk of isolation in this sickness. Don’t email or text them. Phone them.