Jun. 16, 1929 - Dec. 18, 2015
Edward August Jesse Jr., “Ed” to his friends and “Daddio” to his children, passed away peacefully on Friday morning, December 18, 2015, at Renown Medical Center in South Meadows following a four-month illness. Jesse was born on June 16, 1929, in Milwaukee, WI, to Helen Moederndorfer Jesse and Edward August Jesse Sr. and moved to Reno, NV, in 1949 to attend the University of Nevada where he graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history (1954; 1956). Ed took a break from school to serve honorably in the United States Army-Airborne Division from April 1951-1953 during the Korean War. He was recruited to play football at Nevada for Joe Sheeketski and in his sophomore year, under the tutelage of another great Nevada coach, Jake Lawlor, was the 7th ranked quarterback in the nation. He received a varsity letter in football in 1949, 1953 and 1954. A throwing injury during baseball season took him out of
football. However, football was a sport he loved and one that followed him in his profession as a high school history and civics teacher. While teaching, Ed served as an assistant coach at Churchill County High School in Fallon, 1957, head coach at Pershing County High School in Lovelock,1958-1962, and then the head coaching position at Carson High School, 1962-1966, in Carson City, NV. Ed has the distinction of being the last Carson High School football coach to win the state championship, a feat the team achieved in 1964. He was inducted into the Carson High School Football Hall of Fame in 2005. For many years, he worked in the casino industry. He married Maizie Harris in 1954, and together they had five children. Ed is survived by his ex-wife Maizie (Terry Ward), his five children: Helaine (Clark Morres), Claire (Jim Clift), Ward (Katie), Rett (Tamie) and Kirk; his grandchildren, Everett, Tyler (Christina), Ryan and Maggie and great-granddaughter Jillian; his only sibling, Gertrude Beaudry, her four children: Chris, Mark, Joe and Scott, their spouses and families; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kress and Brian Whalen and their three children: Maizie, Brian and Kati, their spouses and families. All of Ed’s children and grandchildren graduated from Carson High School. Throughout his life, Ed was a seeker of knowledge, studying math, science, and philosophy. His dry sense of humor and quick wit made Ed quite the conversationalist. He was the consummate athlete, golfing and playing tennis into his 80s. He enjoyed ballroom dancing and a good cigar, too. His family and friends will miss him dearly.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the CHS Football Boosters for the football team and band, P.O. Box 1362, Carson City, NV 89702. Ed always had a special love for the high school band and in 1965 went with them to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. A Celebration of Life is planned in April in Carson City. To sign the online guestbook go to www.waltonsfuneralhomes.com
