Obituary of Edward Carl Waltz

COHOES – Edward Carl Waltz, 71, of Cohoes, New York, beloved husband and father, passed away quietly at home on March 20, 2023. He is survived by his college sweetheart and wife of 50 years Mary Anne (Luketich) Waltz, his daughter Elissa (Kevin Jordan) Waltz of Los Angeles, CA, his sister Judy (David) Simon of Lower Burrell, PA, and his brother Daniel (Debbie) Waltz of Johnson City, TN. He will also be remembered by his cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends. He is predeceased by his parents and his son Geoffrey Vankirk Waltz. Ed was a man full of curiosity about his world and had many interests. He loved to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins teams, and he was an avid fan of Syracuse University football, basketball and lacrosse. With eclectic tastes, he loved all genres of music, and attended concerts whenever he could. A passionate reader, he enjoyed (in addition to professional literature) mysteries, medical fiction, and spy thrillers. He was an amateur photographer, liked to travel (including a trip to Antarctica), and to spend time on his favorite hobby, woodworking. Ed was born on October 24, 1951 in Bellefonte, PA to Herbert E. and Ruth Patterson Waltz. He attended Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, PA, and then matriculated at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA, where he was elected to Phi Sigma, honorary biology society, and graduated with a B.A. in Biology. In 1973 Ed moved to Syracuse, NY where he earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Biology at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY). After earning his Ph.D. he went on to post-graduate work at Syracuse University, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. From 1988 to 1992, Ed served as the Director of Surveillance and Statistics in the Onondaga County Health Department, and as an adjunct Assistant Professor at the SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse. In 1992, he began his career at the University at Albany (NY) where he was appointed Senior Research Scientist and Research Associate Professor in the Dept. of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior in the School of Public Health. During his tenure there, he served as the Director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness and Associate Director of the Prevention Research Center. In addition to his academic career, Ed worked as a consultant, conducting research in various areas of public health in New York, Connecticut and Missouri. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the staff of Community Hospice of Albany and the staff of Serenity Associates Inc. for their loving care and support. Cremation has taken place through the care of Simple Choices, Inc. Per his request, there will be no funeral or memorial service. Instead, the family suggests that you listen to your favorite Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, John Prine, or Maura O’Connell album. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ed’s name may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation or the Parkinson’s Foundation. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Waltz Family, online at: SimpleChoicesCremation.com