Guys I can’t tell you how much it hurts me to have to post this, but I just got off the phone with Ed’s daughter Erin… our friend Ed Temme…better known to you guys here as “Smernsky” or lately as “E.T Custom fly rods” passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday afternoon from a massive heart attack.
I’ve known Ed for the past year and we talked about once a week for the past few months. The day before he passed we had spoke for over an hour on the phone about he&I finally getting together and fishing sometime soon. Ed was probably one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to call a friend. I’m extremely sad that we didn’t get a chance to fish together and meet each other like we were planning to do, but I’m very proud to say that I had to chance to get to know him and call him my friend.
Ed I’ll certainly miss you buddy, maybe we’ll finally get to spend some time fishing together like we planned when my time comes.
Steve
For those interested-
Relatives and friends are invited to attend Ed Temme’s Celebration of Life Service at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 500 W. Main St. in Lansdale on Tuesday 10/6/09 at 11am. The family will greet friends at the church prior to the service between 10 and 11am. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations in his name to the Main Line Fly-Tyers, c/o Diane M. Temme, 551 Winding Road Lansdale PA, 1944
Holy Cow! I’ve known Ed (via internet) for many years. Your right, Steve. Ed was a stand up guy. This is shocking news indeed. Thanks for letting us know.
I like you steve knew Ed and talked to him on the phone. In fact I just talked to him tuesday and he was making plans to go steehead/salmon fishing. We of course talked a lot about building rods and who some of the builders were. I know he thought a lot of you Steve. I to called him a friend and will miss him. He built some very nice rods and some of the finest grips I have seen in a long time. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends. May god bring them peace in this horrible time. Ed I will miss ya buddy save me a spot.
Thanks harleybob, that really honestly means a lot to me to know Ed thought highly of me. I was just sitting here thinking…you know it’s so funny that you can have a person that you have never meet face to face, yet you feel such a sad loss when something like this happens. I really felt like someone punched me in the stomach when Erin called me tonight and told me. I’m still shocked by it.
Like you and Ron, I had not yet meet Ed in person, we were just about to change that though:( but we talked all the time on the phone and through emails and Pm’s. Almost to the point of where I felt like I had known him for ever. It goes to show the “good” that these sites like this can do by connecting people with each other and making people you can really call your friends.
Everyone always says after someone passes “they were a good guy”…but with Ed I really believe that to be true. He was a good guy, just a happy friendly helpful down to earth person, and he’s going to be missed a lot.
Ed and I exchanged a lot of PMs and he shared with me some of the special places he fished and some spectacular pictures of those places and the fish he chased. I, too, knew he was my friend, someone I could just be around and enjoy if we ever had the opportunity. Just yesterday I was thinking about a rod building job we had discussed, about getting back to him on some details and timing.
It is such sad news to me that Ed is gone. It is a reminder that we need to treasure the people that we care for and to let them know before it is too late, to say the things that we feel and think. I believe that Ed knew how much I liked him, and that is the only solace for me in the face of this news.
If you would, Steve, please speak for me to his family and express my sense of loss and my condolences to them. Maybe you could copy this PM and send it along to his family as a note from one of those who will miss Ed and the way he touched the lives of so many.
If you would, Steve, please speak for me to his family and express my sense of loss and my condolences to them. Maybe you could copy this PM and send it along to his family as a note from one of those who will miss Ed and the way he touched the lives of so many.
John I actually just sent his daughter Erin an email a couple minutes ago, but I think that’s a great idea about letting them know how much Ed was liked here. I don’t want to bug her too much in this time they are going through, but I’ll send her an email in the next couple days with a link to this post. Because I think Ed’s family would probably like to see just how much people really liked Ed and how highly they thought of him as well as how many friends he had which they probably didn’t even know about.
wow i was just looking at past posts from him yesterday. many prayers to him and his family for the loss, but im sure hes catching tons of big ones where hes at now
Very sad. The news brought a tear and a prayer. There has always been a warm spot in my heart for Ed.
Good Bye Friend. The Lord has alternate plans for you.
Just realized that Smersky became ET Custom…I sent him the Tagua that he scrimshawed on one of the handles he displayed here…heck of a guy, very talented and nice as can be…
Thoughts are with his family, I am sure they are crushed.
I’m sitting here, still in shock from reading your post, Steve. Ed was all heart … and a damned good rod builder! He will be sorely missed. My love and strength of prayer go out to his family. I’m so sorry.
Betty
My Deepest Condolences…
to Ed’s Family and all the Friends he gathered here on FAOL.
I am glad he found and plied his hand in his passion for rod building, becoming a full time rod builder. To boldly go where others fear to tread especially in these times.
And to read of the ways he touched many hearts here is Testimony to a life lived well. I never talked to Ed, but I enjoyed his posts here.
Do you know what Fishermen and Fisherwomen do in Heaven?
They stock the Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans here on Earth with more fish.
I can only hope I am worthy of helping.
So the next fish you catch? Well, you think about who just might have put it there…
Gone from this Earth, but lives on in your hearts.
I too am saddened by this loss, although I never met him in person, we shared many rod building tips via email and traded him some wrapping thread for a composite cork grip. Smernsky will be missed here! My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Wow… One never knows. Ed will be greatly missed. Condolences to his family and friends. May God bring them the comfort and peace they need during this difficult time.
My prayers go out to his family and friends.He was always ready to give helpful advice on the rod building board. Wish I had taken the time to know him better.
I too am saddened by this loss, although I never met him in person, we shared many rod building tips via email and traded him some wrapping thread for a composite cork grip. Smernsky will be missed here! My thoughts and prayers are with his family.