I was saddened this morning to hear that my old friend Ed Fedory had passed away. Saddened too that I hadn’t stayed in touch more. The last contact I had with Ed was in 2014 and I wanted to share that again….
ED FEDORY…FROM RELIC HUNTING TO FARMING
After not hearing from TH’er Ed Fedory in a long, long time, I decided to drop him a line to see what was he was up to. His reply somewhat surprised me….
“Hey, Dick…Good to hear from you. Not much going on…just raising chickens at my barn and waiting for spring to finally arrive. No, I haven’t done any writing or metal detecting in years now…currently working with the National Historic Park at Saratoga on information concerning a frontier fort that I excavated years ago.
Donated over 2,000 artifacts from the site and all my records and charts of the digs (7 years of work). I think everything found a good home and I get along well with the lead archaeologists and curator. Other than that, nothing is new…oh yeah, DID find out that getting older kind of sucks!*:D big grin…”
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I assume that you all know who Ed Fedory is but if not he is a very accomplished relic hunter & historian, the author of “Relic Hunter the Book“, “The World of the Relic Hunter” (both published by Whites Electronics), and a long time contributing editor for Western &Eastern Treasures.
While I find it somewhat sad that Ed is no longer out there detecting and sharing his love of history, I do understand and in many ways envy his situation. You can often get caught up in something that consumes you to the point where everything else takes a back seat. It seems that Ed is doing what he loves, and knowing him I have no doubt that he is one helluva farmer.
If you do not have Ed’s books in your treasure hunting library I would highly recommend you add them. Well written, informative and best of all, terrific reads.
And Ed, nobody knows better than I that getting old does indeed suck, but the alternative is not that great either. Happy hunting (for eggs that is) and stay in touch.
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Lost Treasure
It also saddens me to learn that Lost Treasure magazine has closed it’s doors, though somehow it doesn’t surprise me. Seems the printed page is losing the battle to online content and that to me is sad. I first met Lee Harris back in the 80’s when he was kind enough to come to Atlantic City and give a seminar and we later ran into each other off and on at various events. He’s a real gentleman, a helluva nice guy and deserves to enjoy retirement. Have one for me Lee….
Publisher Lee Harris, Atlantic City, mid 80’s
On the same note I’ve been checking my club website links and have had to delete quite a few. Guessing that finding folks to develop and maintain a site is not easy and that a Facebook page is more convenient. Only my opinion but a website is more professional and more enticing to prospective newcomers.
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Stout Standards 
I owned “The World of the Relic Hunter” for many years, and recently passed it on a fellow t’hunter. It was/is a fantastic read about Ed’s exploits detecting along the Hudson River, and many other locales. Sorry to hear about his passing.
As for Lost Treasure biting the dust, it was only a matter of time. While I was never a subscriber, I did enjoy the magazine, which I occasionally picked up at a local Barnes & Noble. But there’s not many people willing to pay for information anymore when they can get it quicker, and more conveniently online…for free. Same reason most of the clubs have gone under or are suffering.
Anywho, didn’t you mention you were going out detecting with your grandson recently? How did it go?
Joe, we didn’t get to hunt that particular Sunday nor the next due to lot of rain. The soil in this area is like nothing you’ve experienced. After a rain you can craft pottery and wear it on your shoes, shovels, etc. for weeks. We’re shooting for this Sunday. He’s involved in marching band, scouts, soccer and refereeing soccer.
Truly sad news about Ed. He lived respected and died regretted. I enjoyed his articles in W&ET.
A great guy for sure…
He will be greatly missed, reading his articles helped me with mine. RIP, Ed.
I heard as well that his students loved him…
Time to go and re read them just because.
Yes indeed. Will need to buy them…lost them in the tornado. Had a signed edition too…
I did read his books but our paths never did cross and never got to shake his hand. He will be missed by all of us.
Met Ed at a (b.o.n.e) show in Keene,NH one year – don’t remember the year, BUT remembered the conversation!
He was fascinating to listen to. Had a “display” that year of stuff he found! “Wow” is all I got to say..what a collection! I believe also he gave a seminar that year! I literally “hanged” on his every word! ..man knew his sh*t!
Ed was a very “humble” man..a “gentleman” farmer, much like my dad was…rest in peace Ed!
j.t.
Thanks for sharing John. I’ve heard nothing but good about Ed and I admired his ability to do what he loved most. He was happy working the land and tending to his stock….
yes!..ed was “rich” beyond measure,and so was my father! he found his wealth in doing what he wanted in life,and experienced “peace of mind”…my father was the same type of man!..a ‘lesson” to be learned,it’s NOT all about money!
(h.h.!)
john t.
I learned quickly that the more I got involved in this pastime the greater the toll it took on my family and happiness. Ed was a reminder…
I got to hunt with Ed briefly two times when we both were writing for W&ET magazine. Ed was a consummate Colonial historian, adept writer, skilled detectorist and a fun guy to be around. Ed, if you are reading this from up there, I’ll never forget the crumbling Tesoro “ass over teakettle” day at the “Ole Redoubt”! Be at peace friend…
A sad day for sure in the metal detecting community. As a long time subscriber to W&E Treasures magazine, I always read Ed’s articles even though I’m not a relic hunter. I enjoyed the history aspect of his adventures and digs. As for “Lost Treasure’s” demise it’s just the way of the world these days. I wonder about W&E Treasure too. Back in the 1980’s the listings of where you could buy it took up a whole page but today the list can be counted on your fingers.
Ed it is indeed tough being in the print business. I remember the Garrett dealer listings in the center of magazines…two pages of very small type and look at the comparison of available advertisers in WET, then and now.
this is true! “w&e” is getting thinner,and thinner,with reduced advertising content.i have subscribed to “w&e”
for many,many years,and “content” definitely has been reduced.i hope that they can keep it going.it would be a “heavy” loss for the hobby should they “capitulate!”
(h.h.!)
john t.
Agree and strange that treasure hunters typically want to find and save history but not support it in the form of the printed page which to me is easier to save and depend on.
in addendum:
as much as i “love” w&e”,the absolute “best” magazine in the field,was the fantastic,”treasure found!”
no “bullsh*t” stories,just found ‘goodies!” what a pleasure to read!
(h.h.!)
john t.
I used to buy “Treasure”, Treasure Lost” and “Treasure Found” on the newsstand. Still have some of them and enjoy looking through the articles and ads every so often. I also have a large number of W&ET’s dating back to the 1970’s. Not all “treasures” are in the ground !
You’re so right. I had a huge collection of mags a few years ago but decided to sell them. I regret it now though I’m certain I would have lost them anyway when we lost our home.
So sorry to hear about Ed…read both his books, and a lot of his articles in W&ET and he was a relic wizard! I was expecting Lost Treasure to fold…I wrote a lot of stuff for them in the mid -1980’s and had distinctly noticed the the quality of writers and articles going down (except for Andy Sabisch’s column) and the grammar edits seemed few and far between.
It is sad to realize that all the hard-won information and techniques archived between the pages of the periodicals as compiled by a generation or more of treasure hunters will soon be yellowing on dusty shelves. And probably heading for a worn-green dumpster somewhere when we ourselves finally pass. I think I worry about my magazine collection more than my mortal end sometimes. Patti says she will give them all to my kids afterwards….I said just drop them off at the club…they will know what to do with them for sure. My kids would just toss everything in a dumpster and head for Colorado for some smokes.
Sad news all around, Dick…getting old does indeed leave a lot to be desired. We have a CFMDC member, however, who has won the Florida lottery TWICE, tells me stories about his father honking the horn of their model-T Ford at a bunch of Seminole Indians wandering down the middle of a Florida dirt road. He just turned 93 today he tells me. However, he’s been telling me he’s now 93 for the last FOUR years, so that puts him more like 97. He is in better shape than I am, has a girlfriend, and could knock you flat with a sucker punch, then laugh about it helping you up.
Another detecting club member, she is also in her mid-90’s and lives on a Florida estate fronting a jungle river that reminds you of Johnny Weissmuller’s place complete with exotic birds, a mouthy parrot (HAPPPEEE BIRTHDAY TOOOO YOOOOOOOO) and tropical foliage. She regales us with alligator wrestling stories, asking us to help catch some of the wild monkeys around the place, and forever admonishing us to WATCH FOR SNAKES! when we take a step in the back yard. Keep the faith!
Any chance the old gal who owns the estate might be interested in adding an old “ass” to her menagerie?
Sorry about your friends passing and will try and get the two books you mentioned thru the library, when i can. I used to subscribe to lost treasure and w & e treasures magazine, but have had to cut back quite a bit in the last few years on any expenses I absolutely can live without. I’m just in my mid 60’s and four of my high school class mates have passed in the last month. The longer we live, the shorter our list of friends becomes and that’s sad, But, it’s life and we all have to experience it.
Understand the cutting back Wendell…have had to cut back on almost everything and still having trouble paying the bills. As for losing friends…difficult!
.. as “fredric march” said to “paul newman” in the movie “hombre”
quote: “it’s a shock to grow old mr. russell”
(h.h.!)
j.t.
I was sad to hear of Ed’s passing also. I knew Betty weeks and met Lucy Bowen. We all lived In Spokane at the same time and later Betty and I met in Portland at our club there. Betty told Ed that he was my favorite writer and he sent me one of his books autographed. I always wanted the chance to hunt along side him. I sure could travel along to the campfires of their hunts in my mind though
Sad news of his passing.
Hi Cindy,
Ed was a relic hunter extraordinaire, a real gentleman and he left us much too soon. He will be missed for sure.
very sorry to hear about Ed passing, I wrote to him a few times when I was writing for W&E treasures back in the 80s and 90s and he was always professional and nice….on another note, concerning lee harris, not so much a gentleman as far as I am concerned, LT ran four or five of my articles in the last three magazines (I never received copies) and the last one used my photograph as the cover ( i think that made 9 total cover shots by me in the five years i wrote for them), and they stiffed me for payment, around 500$…they did it right at christmas time too, so i am having to take them to small claims court, thanks very much lee, i carried you for five years and you dumped on me, i hope i see you get what you deserve…i wonder if i will ever collect, but i can put a lien on his stuff so he cannot sell anything until he pays… i think it was premeditated between him and carla to just try to get away from having to pay….how the rich get rich….many times i had three articles in an issue from 2013 to 2018, and they used different names to cover up that fact…this may be another problem because of identity theft here in nm which the feds are now interested in, involving the mail…..some of my work for LT and all the W&E stuff is here: treasurehuntingwithbillgallagher.blogspot.com, the rest to follow shortly. I will be posting all about this in many forums as the case progresses…..b