Obituary of Wallace B. Edgerton

Wallace B. Edgerton, 90, of Essex, died peacefully on September 13, 2011 surrounded by his loving family and friends. Wally was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and graduated from the School of General Studies at Columbia University. After graduation from Columbia he worked for the March of Dimes during the field trials of the polio vaccine. He then was an administrative assistant in the US Senate. His career continued as he was named as Deputy, then Acting Chairman, of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, DC. In 1973 Wallace was named as President of the Institute of International Education in New York, where he worked until retirement. He was a WWII veteran serving in the United States Army Air Corps in England. He attended Officer Training school at Fontainbleau, France as was commissioned in the U.S. Infantry. Wally and his beloved wife of 61 years, the late Georgiana F. Edgerton who passed away in 2008 retired to Old Saybrook in 1983 and became residents of Essex in 2003. Together they shared many enjoyments such as reading, sailing, traveling, and visiting with family and friends. Wallace is survived by his niece Wendy F. van Gemeren, her husband Eric and their children Lily and Hunter of Winchester, MA, his niece Felicia A. French of Santa Monica, CA, his nephew Hunter H. French and his wife Donna of Tucson, AZ, and his nephew Scott E. French and his wife Sue of Michigan City, IN. In addition to his wife he is predeceased by his faithful son Miles B. Edgerton, and his beloved daughter Mary Ann "Tucker" Edgerton. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, September 23rd at 2 pm in Hamilton Hall at Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Rd in Essex. Interment will be private in the Riverview Cemetery in Essex.