Edwin Johnson Leathlean Jr.

August 6, 1950-September 11, 2023

By Edwin Johnson Leathlean, III

Eddie grew up in Belle Glade, Florida with four sisters and one brother. As to be expected, growing up with many siblings has its fair share of fond memories. Including one story that happened during Christmas time with his sister, Rita. During these times it was uncommon for there to be more than one television per household. Rita and Eddie were fighting over which television show to watch, “American Bandstand” versus “Outer Limits.” While fighting over the television, big sister Rita shoved Eddie, causing him to slip on his mother’s fur rug, landing into the Christmas tree, knocking it over. Needless to say, Ed Sr. was not happy. He came storming in to see what the ruckus was and saw little Eddie lying inside the tree with lights strung across his face. Ed Sr. took matters into his own hands by tossing the tree over the banister into the yard, and temporarily canceling Christmas.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only time with accidents involving his sisters. On a full moon night in 1961, Eddie was sleep walking to the bathroom. With sleep in his eyes, he missed the turn to the bathroom and entered his sisters’ bedroom. With the full moon shining through the window, Rita was clearly able to see 11-year-old Eddie mistaken Esther’s face for the commode.

Even though he pestered his big sisters, they always looked after him. They knew him as their “baby”. During high school, Eddie showed up at Esther’s house wearing his fancy tuxedo and tennis shoes. Esther looked at him dead in the eyes, and asked him “where are your black shoes?” When Eddie replied that he didn’t have any, Esther said “we can’t have that,” and went and bought him proper black shoes. Eddie was very athletic as a teen, playing wide receiver on his high school football team, people knew him as “Fast Eddie”.

Eddie graduated from Belle Glade High School in 1969. From there, he joined the United States Air Force and trained in Pensacola, Florida. He spent three tours in the Vietnam War. He served as Crew Chief, with the rank of Sargeant. It was a different time then, serving in the Armed Forces. There were no “Welcome Home” parades, unlike today. He rarely ever talked about his time in Vietnam, but we all knew he was proud of what he did in serving his country.

After his discharge from the military, Eddie moved to Live Oak, Florida to be close to his sister, Esther. It was here in 1982, that he met the love of his life, Gwen Hughes. After only a few months of courtship, they married on September 4, 1982. It was a joining of families, in which together, they had five beautiful children: Melissa, Roger, Jennifer, Edwin III (Chip), and Lee. He had an immense love for Gwen. Everywhere they went, they held hands, and anytime, anywhere they heard their song “When a Man Loves a Woman”, they would stop and slow dance. This went on for the 41 beautiful years they were together.

Above all else, he loved his family. He was the main provider working 12 hour shifts at Metal Container for long hours, and commuting back and forth from Live Oak to Gainesville, for 30 years.

Eddie always made time for his hobbies, and developing friendships from them that would last for many years to come. One hobby was fishing, and he knew the Gulf of Mexico flats better than most of the locals that lived in the area. He had many boats, and many more fishing stories, but it didn’t stop there. He always raised his children to know how to fish. Even when his son, Chip, loved a different water sport (surfing), he would go surf fishing from the beach just to watch his son enjoy doing what he loved.

He took pride in everything he did, to the point it was aggravating. He would turn a small project that would take anyone 30 minutes, into a three-week project. That’s part of who he was. He loved to “tool around” starting many projects and loved the mechanics of problem solving. Even though he had so much to do, he would always offer aid to anyone who asked him for his help.

“World Famous” is what Eddie would always describe his food concoctions, and that’s exactly what they were (at least to the Leathlean family). Every summer we couldn’t wait to eat his Seafood chowder, and every Christmas morning his breakfast rice was one of the things we would look forward to. No matter what meal he made, he dubbed everything as “World Famous”.

Even though Eddie could be known as “stern”, he had a kind heart toward animals. Not only did he name them, but he also gave them nicknames; from his bird dogs to his house dogs; and that is how they were known by everyone.

Although he was taken from us unexpectedly, he lives on in everyone one of us through memories and the good times we shared with him. We will carry on all the lessons we learned from him and have peace knowing that we will see him again.

Gone Fishin'

I've finished life's chores assigned to me,

So put me on a boat headed out to sea.

Please send along my fishing pole

For I've been invited to the fishin' hole.

Where every day is a day to fish,

To fill your heart with every wish.

Don't worry, or feel sad for me,

I'm fishin' with the Master of the sea.

We will miss each other for awhile,

But you will come and bring your smile.

That won't be long you will see,

Till we're together you and me.

To all of those that think of me,

Be happy as I go out to sea.

If others wonder why I'm missin'

Just tell 'em I've gone fishin'