Edward Raymond Fenn Jr

Edward Raymond Fenn, Jr, 72, of Albany, OR, passed away on September 4th, 2024. He had successfully battled metastatic lung cancer, but succumbed to a series of strokes five days after hearing the good news regarding the cancer remission.

Ed was born on October 9th, 1951 to Edward and Lena Fenn, Sr in Redmond, OR. He was the second of three children. Soon after his birth, his family relocated to Albany, OR.

At the tender age of 14, he met a pretty, 15-year old girl from Jefferson at the Venetian Theater in Albany.

Her name was Gladys Sanders. He and a cousin were behind her in line and were using some language that offended her. She turned around and warned them that if she heard that language again, she would slap them.

She turned her back to them whereupon his cousin launched a well-placed F-bomb. She then turned again and slapped Edward across the face.

He was smitten.

After he graduated from West Albany High School in 1969, he married that pretty, slap-happy girl on October 17th, 1969.

At this time, he was employed by Albany Sanitation and she had just finished business school.

The young couple moved into their first home where they started their family early and fast, with Jonah in 1970, Misty in 1971, and Angela in 1973.

In 1972 he was accepted into the Northwest Joint Apprenticeship Trade Commission (NWJATC) line worker’s apprenticeship program, continuing a legacy that his own father had started. Junior worked side-by-side with Senior for many years, on many different jobs. His father was his first, and best, friend.

He earned his Journeyman’s ticket in 1976 and, in 1979, the family landed in what would be their permanent home, a small farm just outside of Albany. Through the 80’s and early 90’s they lived in multiple towns and cities in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Montana but this little farm in Albany was the home base the family always returned to. 

In the early 90’s, Ed had the opportunity to settle into his home for 7 years, while employed with Hawkeye Construction, in Troutdale. During this time, and following, he helped two sons-in-law enter the trade, and then three grandsons, extending the lineman legacy to four generations.

After all of the kids were raised, Ed and Gladys followed work to Illinois. It was there, surrounded by the tall corn, where he was hit by a semi-truck while exiting a job site in his work truck, in 2011.

The doctors said he would never return to work and that he would be lucky to walk and talk.

This man lived life on his own terms, however.

Four months later he returned to work. It didn’t take long, though, before he realized the traumatic brain injury he suffered simply wouldn’t let him work at the level he did prior to the accident. His near-death experience also fueled his desire to spend more time engaged in activities that were more fulfilling than work. He retired and found great joy in spending his time at home, tending his property, working in his shop, and being surrounded by his family.

In 2017, his world was shattered when his beloved wife of 47 years passed away. 

Grief shrouded him for five long, lonely years until the day he met Connie Crompton.

Through Connie, he learned how to not only smile, but to laugh again.

His adventurous streak was renewed with multiple trips to Washington, California, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

He rediscovered romance with a month-long vacation through Italy, where he married this wonderful woman on October 15th, 2023.

His fascination with history was rekindled with a wishlist trip to Pearl Harbor right after the cancer diagnosis.

His understanding of love, patience, and commitment was validated, when his new wife took on the difficult role of caring for him throughout his illness, right beside him, until the very end.

In addition to Connie, Ed is survived by his three children and their respective spouses, Jonah & Alicia Munro-Fenn, Eric & Misty Gomez, and Angela Parten (née Fenn), seven grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Gravesite services will be held at Waverly Cemetery on Saturday, September 28th, 2024 at 10:30 am, with a potluck memorial for family and close friends at the family home afterwards.