BRUNSWICK – Edward Joseph Cardali, 86, of Brunswick, passed away on Sunday Aug. 4, 2019 from complications. Ed died peacefully in his sleep.

Born in Flushing, N.Y. on Sept. 2, 1932, a son of Gladys E. (Wynn) Groel and Salvatore A. Cardali.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 65 years, Dorothy Bernadette Chonko Cardali formerly of Pejepscot; his five children, daughter Cynthia (Cardali) Kay, husband Scott, and sons Robert Cardali, Emile Cardali, wife Irene, Brian Cardali, wife Lucie and Edward Cardali Jr.; 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren; and his sister, Patricia Ford of Florida.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Frances “Lala” Edstrom and brother, Richard Cardali Sr.

Ed attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Boy’s High School, both in Brooklyn N.Y. He attended New York Technical School where he studied electronics, which later served him when opening his television repair business in Brunswick, Tech TV Service.

Ed served four years in the Air Force Police spending time in Azores Portugal at Lajes Field AFB, Terceira Island before heading to Westover AFB in Chicopee Falls Mass. During his time of service in Chicopee AFB, he met the love of his life, Dorothy B. Chonko who he married on May 8, 1954, a storybook romance which is worthy of a book. Ed fell in love with Maine and moved there in 1957.

Ed’s employment history included McGuire Rake Company in New York, Pejepscot Paper Company in the testing department, Jay Brush, L.L. Bean security, Eastman Industries where he was the manufacturing king of the HoverMower and Brunswick Naval Air Station Fire Department where he retired as fire captain.

Ed was active in many organizations including Jaycees, Boy Scouts, BNAS flying club, Bingo chairman at Brunswick Elks, U.S. Coastguard Auxiliary Air Patrol, People Plus including the bicycle club, Easy Riders. He was well known throughout the organizations as a very generous and kind man due to his creativity and craftsmanship. He designed and manufactured a variety of parade floats and was always creating items out of wood, steel or aluminum, as gifts for people he loved. He hand carved and gifted over 2500 wooden birds which gained him the title “The Birdman of Brunswick”.

He had an early desire to fly an airplane and achieved that goal by earning his private pilot’s license and owning his own aircraft which took the family on several cross country trips.

Ed could often be seen around town riding either his antique Schwinn bicycle with his straw hat or his Vino motor scooter.

Interment with military honors will take place at Central Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta Maine this fall.