Ed Remmers was inducted as a Unity Santa Fe Treasure on Sunday, September 12, 1999.
Ed remmers was born in Cullom, Illinois and attended grade school in a country school there. He took a correspondence course in business during the depression. Ed was also an accomplished musician on the reed instruments, including saxophone and clarinet. After working for the WPC, a youth job corps, during the Roosevelt Administration, Ed's father gave him twenty dollars and he joined the Cole Brothers Circus as a member of the band. They opened in Cleveland, Ohio, where it was very cold and attendance was poor so the musicians were not paid. Ed saw a Billboard magazine ad for a band in Iowa needing musicians. He rode the freight trains to Iowa and joined a style dance band. He played with them for thirteen years and was written up in the Big Band Almanac.
Ed then joined the Navy and became a sonar instructor on a Navy tender in the South Pacific. After his discharge, he worked in Chicago as a supervisor for Blue Cross Blue Shield. He also worked as a billing clerk for another small business. One day he told his boss he was unhappy and his boss suggested Ed do what he really loved. During this time, Ed and his partner Steve Talas had bought a seven-room flat because Ed's parents were going to live with them. There were lots of windows and Ed made all the draperies. He had found his bliss! He began working in a major drapery workroom in Chicago and after a year, he started his own business. He sold Everett E. Remmers Draperies after thirteen years and moved to San Francisco. There he was the "shade and drapery man" for the Board of Education for ten years. Ed and Steve moved to Santa Fe in 1978.
Ed's Aunt Emily had been a Christian Scientist who "got him started in that direction." He studied Unity literature for many years and now enjoys a lifetime subscription to Unity Magazine. He became excited about Unity when, soon after moving here, he and Steve attended a lecture given by James Freeman at the Sheraton Hotel. "There is no dogma and I like the philosophy." He and Steve began attending Unity services. They became "official greeters." They both became board members. Steve donated a keyboard to the church. Steve Talas died in 1990.
Ed left the church when Unity services were held at Old Las Vegas Highway. He began attending again in 1985. He has been a very active volunteer during Sunday services, setting up the welcome table, ushering, greeting and just being a loving and welcoming presence along with his partner, Steve Martinez. He and Steve visit shut-ins after the Sunday service, including Dolores Noel, who lives in Espanola.
Ed collects Native American Indian pottery bowls and jewelry. The bowls are beautifully displayed in his home. The jewelry can usually be seen draped on Ed. A professional photographer stopped him at Indian Market this year to take his picture. It was not the first time his magnificent jewelry has gotten attention. Ask him to show you an earlier newspaper photo of a long ago Indian Market. There are many Native Americans who believe Ed is the best billboard advertising for their art.
(Ed Remmers passed on October 6, 2009.)