Edward P. Stabler

Edward P. Stabler, 94, of Camillus, died peacefully at home with his loving family. Ed grew up in Scarsdale, NY. He went to Swarthmore College and got his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University. He spent his career as a professor of electrical and then computer engineering at Syracuse University. He loved his work, especially his sabbaticals at NASA, Yale University and Cambridge University.  Among many interesting projects Ed undertook was a collaboration in the mid-1970s with the Romanian ballet, for which he designed the program used for the first polytempic ballet. He went to Romania and then to Paris for the ballet’s premiere at the Pompidou Centre.

In his spare time, Ed was a woodworker, a sailor, a chess player, a golfer, and a skier, among many other things. He was an avid long-distance runner. Ed ran and volunteered for decades with the Syracuse Chargers and regularly ran the Boston Marathon. He placed silver at the WAVA (World Association of Veteran Athletes) Masters World Championship in 1989. In 1998, he was honored by the establishment of the Ed Stabler Syracuse Chargers National Distance Running Library at Syracuse University. Ed later took up orienteering and attended meets all over the country. He loved to run trails, especially at Highland Forest, and is shown here running in the 1994 30k Escarpment Trail Run in the Northern Catskills. Modest to a fault, he regifted all his trophies and patches or hid them in a bin in his wood shop.

Ed was a born and bred Quaker who believed that every person should “let his life speak.” He was a long-time member of the Syracuse Friends Meeting and helped found a Quaker worship group at Auburn Correctional Facility. In this capacity, Ed worked with state prisoners for decades. He was active in organizing and leading workshops in Alternatives to Violence. After retiring, Ed formed his own consulting “business,” which never charged anyone a cent. He worked with an organization serving the needs of people with disabilities, bringing the agency into the computer age. Ed volunteered for Sarah House in Syracuse, Contact Community Services, Hospice of CNY, and many other charitable organizations. Onondaga County recognized him as its “Senior Citizen of the Year” in 2015.

Most of all, Ed was the most loving and excellent husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend there could ever be. His support of all his loved ones was unwavering and knew no bounds. Ed was always on the lookout for adventure, had a contagious sense of humor, alternately dry and silly, and started fun everywhere for everyone. He loved life, and life loved him back.

Ed was predeceased in 2022 by his beloved wife, Helen.

Surviving are his son, Edward Jr. (Kathy Hill); daughters, Elizabeth Riker (Jim) Kolbe, Caroline (Larry) Gettino, and Catherine (Jack) King; grandchildren, Katie (Justin) Callahan, John R. (Christie Elliott) Szczech, Chris Szczech, Nicholas Gettino, Paula (Sean) Majchrzak, Allison Gettino, and Violet Kolbe; and great-grandchildren, Callum, Connor, and Cadence Callahan.

There will be no services.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Syracuse Friends Meeting, 821 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. Please leave memories and condolences on syracuse.com/obits.