Ed and Molly
Ed James, known as Ozark Southpaw on the forums, lived in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. A retired construction worker and a former member of Uncle Sam's Canoe Club, Ed picked up the pipe in 2004 after giving up cigarettes. Pipes and tampers became his new hobby. He really enjoyed making pipes, refurbishing old pipes, and making tampers. Ed's refurbing skills were legendary on the Dr. Grabow Collectors Forum, and on the other forums on which he participated. More impressive than his skill was his willingness to share his knowledge with anyone who asked.
Ed's pride and joy was the Dr. Grabow Skyliner he assembled. It was his magnum opus, really. The Skyliner was a huge pipe display used by larger retailers, usually. I bought my first pipe, a Dr. Grabow Viking, off of a Skyliner at an Albertson's in Midland, Texas in 1979. They were certainly impressive displays. It took Ed around 2 or 3 years to collect the specific pipes he needed to complete the display cards. Ed bought the frame of the Skyliner and with the help and windshield time of Tom Douglas, retired CEO of Dr. Grabow, the frame traveled to Clarksville, Tennessee where it was received by our friend Wesley (Flycruiser on DGCF and Shiloh Hollow on the old PSF). Ed traveled from Poplar Bluff to Clarksville and picked up the Skyliner from Wesley and began the work of collecting the display cards and the pipes that went on them.
Ed was a friend to many of us who never met him in person. I talked to him on the phone a few times and sent him pipes to repair for me. He never charged me anything but I did send him a few boxes of Prince Albert over the years. He really liked Carter Hall and his Grabow 36Y pipes. He was kind and patient...an all around good guy. Ed died on June 4, 2017 in a house fire. May his memory be a blessing.
