LtC. USA (ret) and Viet Nam veteran, Edmund “Big Ed” Anthony Wilhelm, 86, of Omaha, Neb., passed away on Tuesday, May 31.

Ed was born on July 16, 1935 to John Joseph Wilhelm and Marie Christina (Cuny) Wilhelm in Jersey City, N.J. After graduating from St. Peter’s Preparatory School in 1953, Ed attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Following his graduation from West Point in June of 1957, he married the love of his life, Mary Joyce (Maureen) Cort, moved to Germany where he began his military career, and started a family. He retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1980. His 23 year career included tours as a Physics instructor at West Point, an analyst in the Pentagon, an advisor to the Iranian Army in Tehran, Iran, and an instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Ed and Maureen had six children, Edmund Anthony Junior (Ulrike), William Gerard (Julie), Roberta Marie Wilhelm (Vic Gutman), Patricia Ann Wilhelm, Michael Benedict (Heidi) and Christopher (Chelsie).

After retiring from the military, Ed continued to serve as an educator at various levels, teaching classes at Kansas University and East Junior High in Leavenworth, Kan.

Ed loved to read and fish and would often indulge in a root beer float (or two). But genealogy was his real passion. He would often talk proudly of the number of fifth cousins that he had identified in his family tree (over 400).

Ed was recently inducted into the St. Peter’s Prep athletic hall of fame where he was recognized for his gridiron skills as an offensive and defensive lineman. Ed told the story about how Vince Lombardi, at the time a coach at West Point, ate spaghetti at his mom’s kitchen table, while recruiting him to play for the Army team.

Ed was predeceased by his wife Maureen whom he had dearly missed for the last 41 years. He was also preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his loving sister Margaret, all of his children, 15 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

A private internment was held at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery on Friday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m. The family requests donations in his memory be made to St. Jude’s or Wikipedia, both organizations Ed supported during his life.