Edward B. Garone, popularly known as Officer Ed from Derry Police, passed away this Tuesday after a career spanning over 58 long years. Read on to know how did Edward B. Garone die, what happened to him, and what was the cause of his death.
Garone served as the town’s top cop for a half-century until his retirement last month. Prior to that, he worked for more than seven years as a police officer. Unfortunately, the eternal cop died shortly after his retirement.
Who was Edward B. Garone?
Edward B. Garone was the retired Police Chief of the Derry Police Department in Derry, Hampshire. He served as the town’s top cop for around 50 years and had served as a police officer before that.
Chief Garone started serving law enforcement on October 15, 1964, with the Lebanon Police Department. On June 1, 1972, he became the chief in Derry and remained in the position till his retirement recently, on September 30, 2022.
His half-century at the helm of the Derry Police Department was celebrated with a grand dinner party at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Manchester this past June. Around 500 current and former members of law enforcement, and local, and state officials alongside his friends and family members attended the celebration.
Garone was a Vermont native. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1961. After completing boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., he started serving a 16-month deployment in Iwakuni, Japan. He later returned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
During his time with the Lebanon Police Department, Garone rose to the rank of captain. After seven and a half years, he moved to Derry and became the chief at the age of just 29. He grew 20 full-time officers and 7 specialists to 59 full-time officers, 15 civilians, and 4 part-time personnel during his regime of more than 50 years.
How did Edward B. Garone die?
Edward B. Garone died on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at his home surrounded by his wife and family. He was 79 years old. The current Derry Police Chief George Feole announced his death due to a prolonged illness in an official statement.
Garone died shortly after his retirement last month. He is the longest-serving police chief in Derry’s history. According to the National Police Association, the average tenure of police chiefs is around four to six years.
However, Garone remained at the top position for 50 long years. He was praised by everyone at the department and the people praised him, as noted by Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg.
“I believe he’s the longest-serving appointed chief in the country — that shows you the town still trusts him, still believes in him,” said Aldenberg.
He added, “It’s incredible. I don’t care how big or how small the community you work for is, 50 years is a substantial part of someone’s life to dedicate to public service. I have a ton of respect for him.”
Edward B. Garone dead at 79: What was his cause of death?
The exact cause of Edward B. Garone’s death is unknown at the time of writing. The statement announcing his sudden death stated an “illness” as a cause of Garone’s death. However, neither his family nor anyone else has revealed what illness it was.
Garone was a very healthy man. The proof of his health is the 50 years of service when he was the chief of Derry Police. However, as his age passed, an illness caught hold of him and he passed away.
Edward B. Garone Obituary: Funeral Details and Survivors
The funeral arrangements for Edward B. Garone are pending at this time. His family will announce the details soon. We’ll update this section later when more information about Garone’s last rites is released.
Honored to present Chief Edward B. Garone with a resolution from the State Senate celebrating his 50 years of service as Derry's Police Chief.
— Senator Chuck Morse (@Morse4Senate) June 1, 2022
Chief, on behalf of New Hampshire – thank you for your dedication and commitment to Derry and the State of New Hampshire. pic.twitter.com/9P3oaUBcMv
Edward B. Garone is survived by his wife Blanche, his son Michael and his wife Rebecca, his daughter Vicky Moran and her husband Frank, his grandchildren Aiden, Alexander, and Maureen Maquis and her husband Ryan, and his two foster grandchildren Carleigh Sullivan and Ethan Sullivan Dupuis, and his brother-in-law James Wormwood.
Our deepest condolences go out to his family. May God let the departed soul rest in peace.