Edward was born Icek Kossower in Krasilov, Khmelnytska Oblast, the eighth of nine surviving children of Rabbi Pinchos Kossower and Gitel Beitchman Cosover. There is some question as to whether he was born in 1910, 1911 or 1912 because his date of birth had to be converted from the Hebrew calender.
He spent his early years in a dress so that he wouldn't be press-ganged into the army as a boy soldier like many of his peers. He once stood between his mother and a soldier who was intent on rifle-butting her. The soldier left her alone because of his bravery.
The family managed to send two of the oldest boys to safety in America. Their mandate was to bring over the others.
When his father was killed, Eddie, his mother and the rest of the family escaped from the difficult conditions in the village by riding hidden in the back of a hay wagon to cross the border at night into Poland. They fled through Germany and into France, where they spent a year waiting for the papers to enable them to get to the United States. Eddie immigrated through Ellis Island on Dec. 9, 1921.
He lived in the Bronx, New York for the next few years, then spent time with his brother Maurice in Waukegan, Lake Co., Illinois. He returned to the Bronx upon the death of his brother Lewis and lived there for two more decades.
Eddie's formal education was disrupted by the itinerant nature of his early years. He was never comfortable writing in English, although he was a voracious newspaper reader. His need to work after his brother's death ensured that he never finished high school.
Eddie was a mechanic at the family's two Cosover Gas Stations on Jerome Avenue and Boston Post Road in the Bronx. They sold Sunoco products. He always drove a Plymouth.
Eddie married Agnes Laura Moore on March 11, 1936 and was naturalized as a US citizen twelve days later. He was the father of three children and immensely proud that all had earned a Master's Degree in Education. He was also the beloved grandfather of 11, including a deceased grandson Bobby, and great-grandfather of 14 as of late 2015.
Eddie moved to Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania in 1951 to become a foreman at his brother Nathan's Mr. Pants Factory. He later drove for the Country Miss clothing label for many years. After his retirement, he moved to Willow Grove in 1987 to be closer to his daughter.
Baseball was Eddie's entree into American life. He was a good pitcher. He learned how to be an American by playing the sport locally, and his love for the game gave him instant friends wherever he went. He enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, whether it be baseball, basketball, boxing, football or ice hockey. He was also a skilled snooker player.
Eddie's very personable nature won him many opportunities. He once showed up at a sold out Army-Navy college football game without a ticket, but he managed to talk himself into a box seat with some of the admirals. They even offered to treat him to dinner afterwards.
He never met a stranger. He believed that family, good friends, education and health were far more important than money or material goods.
Eddie's immigrant background taught him to appreciate America and to revere life. He didn't like cut flowers because they would die quickly, and he once ran a long way to find water for a goldfish whose bowl had tipped over in the car.
His outlook and wisdom will forever be treasured by those who were fortunate enough to be influenced by him.
He spent his early years in a dress so that he wouldn't be press-ganged into the army as a boy soldier like many of his peers. He once stood between his mother and a soldier who was intent on rifle-butting her. The soldier left her alone because of his bravery.
The family managed to send two of the oldest boys to safety in America. Their mandate was to bring over the others.
When his father was killed, Eddie, his mother and the rest of the family escaped from the difficult conditions in the village by riding hidden in the back of a hay wagon to cross the border at night into Poland. They fled through Germany and into France, where they spent a year waiting for the papers to enable them to get to the United States. Eddie immigrated through Ellis Island on Dec. 9, 1921.
He lived in the Bronx, New York for the next few years, then spent time with his brother Maurice in Waukegan, Lake Co., Illinois. He returned to the Bronx upon the death of his brother Lewis and lived there for two more decades.
Eddie's formal education was disrupted by the itinerant nature of his early years. He was never comfortable writing in English, although he was a voracious newspaper reader. His need to work after his brother's death ensured that he never finished high school.
Eddie was a mechanic at the family's two Cosover Gas Stations on Jerome Avenue and Boston Post Road in the Bronx. They sold Sunoco products. He always drove a Plymouth.
Eddie married Agnes Laura Moore on March 11, 1936 and was naturalized as a US citizen twelve days later. He was the father of three children and immensely proud that all had earned a Master's Degree in Education. He was also the beloved grandfather of 11, including a deceased grandson Bobby, and great-grandfather of 14 as of late 2015.
Eddie moved to Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania in 1951 to become a foreman at his brother Nathan's Mr. Pants Factory. He later drove for the Country Miss clothing label for many years. After his retirement, he moved to Willow Grove in 1987 to be closer to his daughter.
Baseball was Eddie's entree into American life. He was a good pitcher. He learned how to be an American by playing the sport locally, and his love for the game gave him instant friends wherever he went. He enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, whether it be baseball, basketball, boxing, football or ice hockey. He was also a skilled snooker player.
Eddie's very personable nature won him many opportunities. He once showed up at a sold out Army-Navy college football game without a ticket, but he managed to talk himself into a box seat with some of the admirals. They even offered to treat him to dinner afterwards.
He never met a stranger. He believed that family, good friends, education and health were far more important than money or material goods.
Eddie's immigrant background taught him to appreciate America and to revere life. He didn't like cut flowers because they would die quickly, and he once ran a long way to find water for a goldfish whose bowl had tipped over in the car.
His outlook and wisdom will forever be treasured by those who were fortunate enough to be influenced by him.
Edward was born Icek Kossower in Krasilov, Khmelnytska Oblast, the eighth of nine surviving children of Rabbi Pinchos Kossower and Gitel Beitchman Cosover. There is some question as to whether he was born in 1910, 1911 or 1912 because his date of birth had to be converted from the Hebrew calender.
He spent his early years in a dress so that he wouldn't be press-ganged into the army as a boy soldier like many of his peers. He once stood between his mother and a soldier who was intent on rifle-butting her. The soldier left her alone because of his bravery.
The family managed to send two of the oldest boys to safety in America. Their mandate was to bring over the others.
When his father was killed, Eddie, his mother and the rest of the family escaped from the difficult conditions in the village by riding hidden in the back of a hay wagon to cross the border at night into Poland. They fled through Germany and into France, where they spent a year waiting for the papers to enable them to get to the United States. Eddie immigrated through Ellis Island on Dec. 9, 1921.
He lived in the Bronx, New York for the next few years, then spent time with his brother Maurice in Waukegan, Lake Co., Illinois. He returned to the Bronx upon the death of his brother Lewis and lived there for two more decades.
Eddie's formal education was disrupted by the itinerant nature of his early years. He was never comfortable writing in English, although he was a voracious newspaper reader. His need to work after his brother's death ensured that he never finished high school.
Eddie was a mechanic at the family's two Cosover Gas Stations on Jerome Avenue and Boston Post Road in the Bronx. They sold Sunoco products. He always drove a Plymouth.
Eddie married Agnes Laura Moore on March 11, 1936 and was naturalized as a US citizen twelve days later. He was the father of three children and immensely proud that all had earned a Master's Degree in Education. He was also the beloved grandfather of 11, including a deceased grandson Bobby, and great-grandfather of 14 as of late 2015.
Eddie moved to Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania in 1951 to become a foreman at his brother Nathan's Mr. Pants Factory. He later drove for the Country Miss clothing label for many years. After his retirement, he moved to Willow Grove in 1987 to be closer to his daughter.
Baseball was Eddie's entree into American life. He was a good pitcher. He learned how to be an American by playing the sport locally, and his love for the game gave him instant friends wherever he went. He enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, whether it be baseball, basketball, boxing, football or ice hockey. He was also a skilled snooker player.
Eddie's very personable nature won him many opportunities. He once showed up at a sold out Army-Navy college football game without a ticket, but he managed to talk himself into a box seat with some of the admirals. They even offered to treat him to dinner afterwards.
He never met a stranger. He believed that family, good friends, education and health were far more important than money or material goods.
Eddie's immigrant background taught him to appreciate America and to revere life. He didn't like cut flowers because they would die quickly, and he once ran a long way to find water for a goldfish whose bowl had tipped over in the car.
His outlook and wisdom will forever be treasured by those who were fortunate enough to be influenced by him.
He spent his early years in a dress so that he wouldn't be press-ganged into the army as a boy soldier like many of his peers. He once stood between his mother and a soldier who was intent on rifle-butting her. The soldier left her alone because of his bravery.
The family managed to send two of the oldest boys to safety in America. Their mandate was to bring over the others.
When his father was killed, Eddie, his mother and the rest of the family escaped from the difficult conditions in the village by riding hidden in the back of a hay wagon to cross the border at night into Poland. They fled through Germany and into France, where they spent a year waiting for the papers to enable them to get to the United States. Eddie immigrated through Ellis Island on Dec. 9, 1921.
He lived in the Bronx, New York for the next few years, then spent time with his brother Maurice in Waukegan, Lake Co., Illinois. He returned to the Bronx upon the death of his brother Lewis and lived there for two more decades.
Eddie's formal education was disrupted by the itinerant nature of his early years. He was never comfortable writing in English, although he was a voracious newspaper reader. His need to work after his brother's death ensured that he never finished high school.
Eddie was a mechanic at the family's two Cosover Gas Stations on Jerome Avenue and Boston Post Road in the Bronx. They sold Sunoco products. He always drove a Plymouth.
Eddie married Agnes Laura Moore on March 11, 1936 and was naturalized as a US citizen twelve days later. He was the father of three children and immensely proud that all had earned a Master's Degree in Education. He was also the beloved grandfather of 11, including a deceased grandson Bobby, and great-grandfather of 14 as of late 2015.
Eddie moved to Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania in 1951 to become a foreman at his brother Nathan's Mr. Pants Factory. He later drove for the Country Miss clothing label for many years. After his retirement, he moved to Willow Grove in 1987 to be closer to his daughter.
Baseball was Eddie's entree into American life. He was a good pitcher. He learned how to be an American by playing the sport locally, and his love for the game gave him instant friends wherever he went. He enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, whether it be baseball, basketball, boxing, football or ice hockey. He was also a skilled snooker player.
Eddie's very personable nature won him many opportunities. He once showed up at a sold out Army-Navy college football game without a ticket, but he managed to talk himself into a box seat with some of the admirals. They even offered to treat him to dinner afterwards.
He never met a stranger. He believed that family, good friends, education and health were far more important than money or material goods.
Eddie's immigrant background taught him to appreciate America and to revere life. He didn't like cut flowers because they would die quickly, and he once ran a long way to find water for a goldfish whose bowl had tipped over in the car.
His outlook and wisdom will forever be treasured by those who were fortunate enough to be influenced by him.
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