Eldwin "Ed" A. Wixson, Jr. died peacefully at home in Plymouth, NH on April 6, 2023, attended by his beloved wife of 47 years Marilyn (Barden) Wixson. He was 91 years young.
Born in Waterville, ME on November 30, 1931, Ed was the son of Eldwin A. Wixson, Sr. and Hope (Craig) Wixson. He was predeceased by his first wife, Rowena Palmer with whom he had four children: Cheryl, Jennifer, William and Wesley. He was also predeceased by his sister Faith (Wixson) Varney and her husband Erlon Varney, and by his cousin Sharon Clark.
He earned his B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono in 1953. At that time, Ed also was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, through the R.O.T.C. program. While Ed began his education in agricultural engineering, he shifted his focus to mathematics and mathematics education, receiving master's degrees from Colby College and Temple University and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Ed taught at Waterville and Winslow high schools and Keene State College before becoming a full professor of Mathematics Education at Plymouth State College.
On July 31, 1976, Ed married Marilyn with whom he had two children, Jonathan and Jessica. Both Ed and Marilyn taught in the Mathematics Department at Plymouth State for many memorable years, both retiring in 2003. Over the years their travel adventures took them across the United States and to Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Ed loved to play card games and was a lifelong bridge player. Both he and Marilyn played bridge recreationally and competitively, with Ed playing three games a week right up until his death.
Ed was very active in the greater Plymouth community, serving as a member of the Plymouth School Board, Plymouth Planning Board, board of the New Hampshire Electric Co-op, board of Speare Memorial Hospital and board of Rural Utilities Services CFC. He was a founding member of Plymouth Community Guaranty Savings Bank.
Ed is survived by his wife Marilyn; his daughter Cheryl Wixson and husband Phillip McFarland of Stonington, ME; daughter Jennifer Wixson and husband Stanley Luce, of Troy, ME; son William Wixson and wife Robin of Belmont, NH; son Wesley Wixson and wife Lori, of Bow, NH; son Jonathan Wixson and wife Christin, of Ashland, NH; and daughter Jessica Wixson Shaw and husband Sky, of Plymouth, NH; twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and Sharon's husband Glenn Gruber.
Calling hours will be held Friday, April 14, 4-6 pm at Mayhew Funeral Home, 12 Langdon St., Plymouth, NH. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 15, 2:30 pm at the Plymouth Congregational Church UCC, 4 Post Office Square, Plymouth.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Speare Memorial Hospital, The Plymouth Congregational Church, and/or The Community Guaranty Senior Benefit Scholarship at PSU.