on one of their travels perhaps around Mackinaw in northern Lake Michigan. The four of them were docked for the evening at a marina and were cooking dinner onboard Ektar. They were all seated in the cockpit eating from a watermelon with spoons and, knowing Ed, laughing at jokes he was telling. They were apparently creating quite a ruckus so that a young couple stopped at the dock in front of them with big smiles on their faces. A short conversation ensued about the adventurous sailing they were on, and Ed and his crew related some of the things they had done and seen up until then. Ed and Esther were probably in their 60's at the time (like me), and Mom & Dad were about 10 years younger. As the couple bid farewell and continued on their way, the young man said in parting, "It's nice to see elderly people enjoying themselves!" Of course, none of our sailors had ever thought of themselves as elderly until that moment and it came as quite a shock to all of them. It made for a very funny story. And just as an aside, because Ed painted Ektar the same color green for all the years I knew that boat (he got a deal on some paint once), ever since, we have called that color wherever we see it, "Prentke Green."

I remember Ed and Esther as such a lovely, warm, and engaging couple. They were always ready to share their happiness and we were always welcome to come aboard and chat or go for a sail. Ed had a very low key way about him. He was always soft spoken and ready to laugh. Esther was also soft spoken and had a really dry wit. I loved them both and their passing (along with my mom's and dad's) really leaves a hole in my life. They can never be replaced, none of them.

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