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Roadrunners Internationale must sadly come to grips with losing another member of our aviation family. This morning Roadrunner Ed Schlesinger departed on his final flight. Ed is remembered by his fellow Roadrunners for his devotion to Project Oxcart at Area 51 as an navigation aide. His son, Steve also worked at the Ranch along with the sons of some of the members of the 1129th Special Activities Squadron, Pete Slater and Jim Simon to name a couple. Our prayers and hearts go out to Ed's wife, Patty, and family during this period of grief and sadness.
Edward Joseph Schlesinger, 78, of Las Vegas passed from this world into the loving arms of his Savior, Jesus, on Sunday, December 17th. Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Paul George and Christina Schlesinger; his brothers, Paul Joseph, (Bud), Kenneth Gilbert and Joseph Donald all from Louisville, Kentucky. Ed was born on June 27, 1928 in Louisville, Kentucky. He proudly served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1949. He retired a Master Sergeant in 1969. His final tour of duty was at Area 51 where he was a navigation aide for Project Oxcart. His years at Area 51 were the "glory years" of his life. After retiring from the Air Force he worked for Dillards as a Maintenance Engineer.
Ed is survived by his wife, Pat; four children, Stephen Douglas of Las Vegas, Nevada, Paul Edward and his wife, Jan, of Lakeview Oregon, Ramona Sue of San Antonio, Texas and Christopher Thomas and his wife, Sharon, of Las Vegas, Nevada; seven grandchildren, Christian, Jennifer D. Hooper, (Grand Dee), Jeff Kemp, Kasey C., Cheryl Lynn, Nicole,and Christina; two great-grandchildren Kaylee and Taylor Hooper; brothers and sisters, Dorothy May of Louisville Kentucky, Gerald Anthony of Chino, California, Norbert Thomas of Council Bluff, Iowa, Mary Ann of Louisville, Kentucky, Carol Joan of Woodbine, Georgia and Jean Marie of Louisville Kentucky.
Ed was a member of Roadrunners Internationale, (Area 51) and St. Joseph Catholic Church. A rosary was said by Father Krier with visitation following at Bunkers Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Boulevard North. Father Krier offered a funeral mass at 10:00 a.m., Friday December 22, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 131 North 9th Street. Military honors were displayed at the gravesite where relatives and friends gathered afterwards at Pat's home.
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This is my first Father's Day since my Dad passed away on December 17, 2006. I have visited the website today and wept for my loss. I miss my Dad and the opportunity to wish him a Happy Father's Day. I was my Dad's only daughter and I know that he treasured the gifts I gave him for Father's Day. When I was a teenager I would bake him pineapple upside-down cakes. That was his favorite cake! In my twenties I cross stitched the attached picture. In my thirties and forties, I sent him "western shirts". Those too were his favorites!! One of the last gifts I gave to my Dad was the custom framed, signed and numbered print, "OUTRUN THE THUNDER". That was his favorite plane!!! Now there was a significant difference in the monetary value of the two pictures. However being my Dad's only daughter, both were still hanging on the walls of his home until his death last December. Now they are in my possession to pass on to my children along with his stories of Area 51. And by the way, I grew taller in height than my Dad. But I never stopped looking up to him. I treasure pictures of my Dad during his teen years. I do not know much about his boxing era. I do know that he loved the sport. I also know that he fought under the assumed name "Lou Donalds". That was so his mother wouldn't read about his fights in the newspaper. She was against him wanting to box. Lou Donalds was the first name of two of his high school friends, Lou Kammish and Donald Stovall. I also know that on four occasions he fought on the same "ticket" as Joe Louis, "The Brown Bomber". He used to visit with Mr. Louis at Caesar's Palace before Mr. Louis passed away in 1981. (Mr. Lewis was employed late in his life by Caesar's Palace to walk around and talk with the casino guests.)
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