Edwin Lage McCutcheon

Commander Edwin L. McCutcheon, USN (Ret.), of Sun City, AZ died on 19 December 2007. He was 78 years old. Ed was born on 18 May 1929 in Elko, NV, graduated from Reno, NV High School in 1947 and spent a year at the University of Nevada (Reno) prior to entering the U.S. Naval Academy in July 1948. Upon graduation with the Class of 1952, he served on Toledo (CA-135) and saw service in Korean waters both prior to and after the July 1953 truce.\

In June 1954, he married the former Joan Freiburghouse. A month later, he entered submarine training. He subsequently served on ARGONAUT (SS-475), ROBERT E. LEE (SSBN-601), GEORGE WASHINGTON (SSBN-598) and ANDREW JACKSON (SSBN-619), culminating with command of STONEWALL JACKSON (SSBN-634).

Ed next served a tour with the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, NE. In 1973, he retired from active service, but he and Joan opted to remain in Omaha. Subsequently, in 1994, during a visit with his parents in Sun City (Phoenix), AZ, he and Joan decided to become permanently residents in warm Arizona. They sold their home in Omaha and purchased a home on a lake in Sun City. It was here, some 13 years later that he and Joan were living when he passed away.

During his later years, Ed had experienced a number of serious medical problems, but he always fought the good fight. A good friend commented that he never lost the will to live, he just ran out of the strength to continue.

Always quiet and unassuming, Ed was a wonderful husband, father, shipmate and friend.

Ed is survived by his wife of 53 years, Joan McCutcheon, daughters, Elizabeth and Nalani McCutcheon; son William McCutcheon and his wife, Karen; grandson Austin McCutcheon; and sister Patricia Tejada.

In accordance with his wishes, Ed's remains were cremated and his ashes inurned in the garden at Sunland Memorial Park near his parents in Sun City, AZ. Ed was a descendant of Hugh & Icie Almira (Bulson) McCutcheon.