Edward F. Dutton passed away unexpectedly on October 31, 2018 in Colorado Springs. He was 42, born in Columbus, Georgia on December 15, 1975 to Edward Franklin Dutton, Sr. and Catherine O’Reilly. During his childhood his family traveled with the military to various locations, including Georgia, Colorado and Pennsylvania. He attended Cedartown High School in Georgia.

In February of 1999, Edward married the only woman in the world for him, Eileen Falconio Dutton. They met on the job, and although Eileen tried to fight it (he booked a church four different times before she would marry him), they were meant to be together, and nothing was going to stop it. From their first date, when he ordered her food exactly the way she liked it, to the moment he showed up at her door in pouring rain, bringing medicine for her sick daughter, there was no one else for either of them. He was hilarious; he kept her laughing for the rest of their life together. He was her knight, a true southern gentleman.

Edward’s biggest accomplishment and greatest joy was his family. The fact that Eileen had four children when he met her didn’t slow him down one bit. He jumped right in and then they were a family. When their own two came along, life was complete, full of games and pranks, laughter and love. He was always ready to sneak up on the roof to stomp around and scare the kids or to climb in through the window for a good startle. Games of Peach Football (very messy!), haunted Halloween trails (with him waiting to jump out for a spectacular finale), wand duels at Hogwarts, roller coaster rides; he was a kid at heart who never lost his sense of wonder and lived to share it with his kids and grandkids. With the birth of each grandchild, Edward would shave his head and facial hair in celebration, and proudly wore an ‘I’m a Grandpa!’ button at 23 years old.

He was a force of nature, a beacon of love, a reminder that there’s always joy to be discovered in the world.

Edward leaves behind his wife and soulmate, Eileen; his son Joshua; his daughter Jazmine; his daughter Bianca and her children Dallas, Payton, Melissa and Millie; his son Eric, Eric’s wife Gina and their children Meadow and Derek; his daughter Crystal, Crystal’s husband Rusty and their children Cameron, Joey and Desiree; his daughter Brandi, Brandi’s husband Josh and their children Jessica and Brandon; family friends Linda Beatty, Haley Hernandez, Matthew Markle and Jeff Van Vorst.

He is joyfully reunited in eternity with son Zachury; his Aunt Darleene; his paternal grandmother Dorothy; his maternal grandfather Pop Pop; and his twin grandsons Eric Jr. and Hunter.

We will carry him in our broken hearts forever.