Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Edward Ira Cardiff was born Aug. 1, 1941, in Yakima, WA, where he grew up.
He died Sept. 1, 2021, surrounded by his children, Don and Diana. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday one month prior with family, eating one of his favorite meals, sushi, in Edmonds where he resided for 50 years.
Ed had wonderful parents, Ed and Ethel Cardiff, to raise him and enjoy his own beautiful family with his first wife of 25 years, Gladys Cardiff.
He is preceded in death by his second wife, Sharon Kahley. Sharon's family embraced Ed as part of their family and loved him dearly.
He had a successful dental practice in Edmonds for 40 years. Ed was a highly skilled, gentle, kind dentist with loyal patients. He enjoyed mentoring new dental students, volunteering dentistry at University of Washington (his alma mater), and being a member of the ADA.
Throughout his life he enjoyed many pleasures including: reading both science and science fiction (following in great detail the work of NASA); astronomy; discussing quantum physics; marine biology; scuba diving; cooking (especially extravagant ramen, grilled steak, or baked salmon); tinkering with electronics (including building the family TV via a kit); racing cars with his brothers (MGBs); hiking; biking; river rafting; mushroom hunting (president of the Snohomish Mycological Society); disco dancing; singing (including performing in summer stock when he was younger); photography; bartending (specialty in making martinis); video games; cool technology; watching movies (especially sci-fi); playing cards (especially cribbage); boating (Commodore at Edmonds Yacht Club); going to his daughter's and granddaughter Ashlie's performances; attending theater and dance concerts in general; bonding with his son over football, golf, cooking, photography, mechanics; and hosting holiday gatherings (never a typical ordinary affair).
And later in life, he discovered a huge passion for glass blowing, in which he became quite skilled at. His work was represented in galleries in Edmonds and Hawaii.
Ed had a warm heart. He was a loving family man to all, including the myriad of his pets throughout the years – cats, dogs, fish, and even a macaw that was a birthday gift from his family and who only liked him (much to the consternation of everyone else).
His sweet smile, twinkling eyes, patient demeanor, high intelligence, curious spirit, imaginative mind, boisterous outbursts and exclamations, cheerful attitude, hugs, sense of humor, and warm presence will be missed by all.
