Edward Wahl, Jr.

Edward Carl Wahl, Jr., a very recent transfer to Gallatin, Tennessee, died on December 1, 2022. He was born on April 5, 1941, in Evanston, Illinois to the late Edward Carl Wahl, Sr. and Dorothy V. Wahl (Landeck).

His formative years were spent in Arlington Heights, Illinois, graduating from Arlington Heights High School in 1959. Ed’s lifetime career began in education and ended in education, starting with a bachelor’s degree in engineering (1963) and a master’s degree in business administration (1966), both from the University of Illinois Champaign. After a short time at teaching drafting, he switched to assistant director of U of I Office of Space Utilization, which meant preparing the Time Table for all classes and being a building planner for such projects as the Large Animal Clinic, the underground Undergraduate Library, and also led to him assisting with bringing Sangamon State University out of the ground (now University of Illinois Springfield). Following his work at the university, Ed joined the Springfield Marine Bank in 1975 to plan and rebuild their main bank and two motor bank facilities. Ed later dabbled in private business and insurance, but returned to education in 1987 as assistant to the superintendent as the school business official of Country Club Hills (IL) School District 160 and switched to Homewood (IL) School District 153 in 1991, retiring in 2001. At Homewood, Ed was an important part of a successful 1992 referendum and of transportation planning (bus routes), redistricting, and facility planning for four school additions. In his retirement years, Ed worked on creating bills to help the state understand the need for better funding for special education. One of those bills, which required the Illinois State Board of Education to annually calculate the funding shortfall for special education for every school district statewide, became law as Public Act 95-0555 in 2007. Ed Wahl was also active in the Presbyterian Church USA, where he was ordained as an Elder in 1976, leading an Adult Bible Study from its formation in 1986, and serving on the Chicago area Committee on Ministry as a counselor to congregations looking for new pastors and serving as Clerk of Session for First Presbyterian Church of Homewood. Another interest was being an avid collector and highly decorated builder of plastic model kits. His most prized builds were entered into many contests all over the United States. He was a member of the International Plastic Modelers Society and wrote several articles which were published in the IPMS magazine. He also helped to bring the IPMS/USA National Convention to Chicago in 2001.

In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his brother, Warren Wahl, Sr. and daughter, Carla Wahl. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Janet Wahl (Chisholm) of Gallatin, TN; his daughter Alisa Ushman (Wahl) and husband Shane of Hendersonville, TN; his grandchildren Sadie Ushman, Sierra Ushman, Christopher Ushman, and Carson Ushman; his stepsons Rick Irwin and wife, Darla of Springfield, IL; Greg Irwin and wife, Patti of New Berlin, IL; John Irwin of New Berlin, IL; his stepdaughter Faye Geist (Irwin) and husband, Steve of Pleasant Plains, IL; and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.