EDMUND GURLIN FIELD – Obituary
Edmund Gurlin Field of Clayton on Saturday, April 8, 2023. Age 99. Husband of the late Emma M. Field (nee Marshall) for 62 years. Father of Harry M. Field, Jeffrey E. Field (Sandy), David B. (Denise), Kimberly E. (Edwin) Schaffer, and the late Susan J. Field. Grandfather of Terra Field, Jenna (Francis III) Febbo (Field), Patrick (Julie) Schaffer, Casey (Gabriel) Reese (Schaffer), Hazel Schaffer, Carley Schaffer, Jessica (Justin) Lock (Field), and William Field. Great-grandfather of Francis (Frankie) Febbo IV. Brother of Beatrice Frazier. Uncle to many nieces and nephews. Son of the late Eva May (nee Gurlin) Field.
Born in Woodbury and raised in Barnsboro for 5 years, Edmund’s family moved to Clayton in 1929. He was a 1942 graduate of Clayton High School. His first job was cutting lawns with a borrowed push mower. He could tell you which lawns he cut around town and how much he made on each one. He also worked on several farms around town including Krimm’s, Groff’s, and Gant’s. He worked for the Williamstown road department filling trucks with gravel with a shovel after biking to the gravel pit on Sicklerville Rd. He worked for Clayton Schools while a student there doing such jobs as carting coal from one side of the building to the other and putting up the canvas fence cover at the athletic field before each home game and taking it down afterward. His first real job was delivering ice to homes and businesses for their ice boxes. During WW II he worked at New York Shipyard in various jobs on LTC’s, the large Cruisers Alaska, Guam, and Hawaii, and converting Cruisers to Aircraft Carriers including the Independence. After the war, he worked for an oil barge company going up and down the Delaware, Hungerford and Terry, and Owens Illinois. He got the job he kept for 35 years working at Du Pont Chambers Works in the early 50’s.
Edmund traveled on trips to Alaska, Florida, and Canada with his childhood friend George Steward in a car camping along the way. His life changed forever on May 12th, 1951. On that day he went on a blind date for a steak dinner cooked by a friend of a friend of his sister’s. When he arrived he looked up the stairs and saw his future bride. He didn’t know it but she did. After a delicious meal, he asked her if he could visit her sometime in Ocean City. She said he could visit her anytime he wanted. She told her family the next day that she had met her future husband. They were married on October 16, 1954, in Ocean City, the day after hurricane Hazel went through the area canceling their wedding practice. Together they built a home for his mother and then a home for themselves and had 5 children. After their first cruise for their 50th Wedding anniversary, they took many more including going through the Panama Canal, going to Alaska, and taking the whole family on the Queen Elizabeth II.
He was involved with CHS Senior Alumni Reunion as a Class rep for the Class of 1942 sending out invitations to the reunion and a class newsletter for 40 years. He was a member of Clayton Historic Preservation where his vast knowledge of Clayton’s history was invaluable.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of the facilities Edmund was in the last few months especially DeQuan and Nicole and the staff of Holy Redeemer Hospice, especially Arielle and Linda.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his memory to one of the following organizations Edmund was involved with for many years. Clayton Senior Alumni, PO Box 75, Pitman NJ 08071. Clayton Historic Preservation, PO Box 29, Clayton, NJ 08312 or to Trinity United Methodist Church, 351 N. Delsea Dr. Clayton, NJ 08312.
Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing on Sunday, April 16, 2023, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and again on Monday, April 17, 2023, from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM at the BARCLAY FUNERAL HOME, 208 Maple Street, Clayton, NJ 08312. Funeral service is on Monday at 3:30 PM at the funeral home. Interment to follow at Cedar Green Cemetery, Clayton. Sign the guestbook at BarclayFuneralHome.net.
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