The Reverend Edward Lee Eastman III (Ned)

Let us remember with thanksgiving the life and ministry of Rev. Edward Lee Eastman III (Ned), 93, of Oneonta, NY who passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at his home.

He was born on August 15, 1929 to Edward L. Eastman, Jr. and Alice Dodge Eastman in Elmira, NY. Ned attended Wesleyan University in CT where he earned a BA in philosophy in 1951. He then received an MDiv at the Union Theological Seminary in NYC in 1954.

Ned married Jane Elizabeth Gruver on January 28, 1956, at the First United Methodist Church in Oneonta. Together they served many churches in the New York Conference.

Ned was licensed to preach in 1946 and ordained full elder in 1954, both in the Wyoming Conference (Upper New York). He transferred to New York in 1954. He served the following churches: Bridgeport: Trinity UMC; Norwalk: East Avenue UMC; Watertown UMC; Dobbs Ferry: Aldersgate UMC; Pawling and Poughquag UMC’s; Fairfield: Grace UMC; Farmingdale UMC.  Ned served as District Superintendent in the Hudson West District (Newburgh) from 1978 to 1984. Ned retired in 1992.

After his retirement in 1992, he and Jane moved back to Oneonta where, together, they were very active until Jane’s passing in 2002. He and Jane enjoyed traveling with Elderhostel, exploring many different countries.

During his years in Oneonta, Ned was an active member of First United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and serving on the board of trustees. Ned briefly taught a CCAL course on Henry W. Longfellow and organized the annual Oneonta Concert Association series. For years Ned, along with close friends Robert Dilts and Mildred Parish, attended the operas at Glimmerglass in Cooperstown. Each summer, Ned spent several weeks on Squam Lake, visiting with family and exploring the mountains and lakes of New Hampshire. Ned spent countless hours researching his genealogy. He documented all this work with many details and stories throughout each of the eight generations, all the way back to the 1600s in Longford, England.

Ned is survived by his three loving children: Daniel Eastman and his wife Sheri (Onque) of Kingwood, TX, Rebecca Eastman Hadik and her husband Andrew of Chester, NH, and Jeremy Eastman and his wife Connie (Lucas) of Naugatuck, CT; his four grandchildren: Nicole Eastman Scambray and her husband Daniel of Kingwood, TX, Jesse Eastman and his wife Jenna (McCoy) of Houston, TX, James Hadik and Alice Hadik of Chester, NH. Ned has four great grandchildren: Jackson and Lucas Scambray and Charlotte and Henry Eastman.

A service celebrating the life of Ned Eastman will be held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at 5:00pm at the First United Methodist Church at 66 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to FUMC in memory of Ned.

For those who cannot attend, this service will be available via Zoom.
Topic: Memorial Service for Rev. Ned Eastman
Time: Dec 17, 2022 04:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
 
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Meeting ID: 879 8485 1445
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Blessings and prayers to the Eastman family at this time of loss.
 
Grace and peace,
 
Margaret Howe
Conference Secretary