Obituary of Edwin James Booth

Edwin James Booth, 84 of Tacoma, passed away February 4, 2023, in Tacoma, Washington.

Ed was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tacoma, Washington.

Ed was born September 5, 1938, in New York, New York to Charles and Margaret Booth.

Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Erma (Peterson) Booth, son; Michael (Celeste) Booth, grandson, Michael John Booth and great granddaughter, Ember Rose,

brother, William (Judith) Booth), sister, Anne Harrison, and sister, Mary Wagner and many nieces and nephews. Ed was preceded in death by his son, Anthony Booth,

his brothers, Charles and Frances Booth and grand-daughter Kaitlin Booth.

Ed married his wife, Erma (Peterson) Booth, February 5, 1972, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ogilvie, Minnesota.

Ed left New York to attend Thermal King Refrigeration school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After training at Thermal King, he moved to Seattle, Washington and worked on

refrigerated railroad cars for Burlington Northern railroad. Ed worked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard from 1976 – 1998, as a Mechanical Engineer Technician.

Following Ed’s retirement from the shipyard he volunteered for 10 years for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

Ed was a veteran who proudly served his country for 42 years 6 months and 21 days including active duty and reserves. Ed received many awards during his military service and

was very proud of them and to have been awarded the Legion of Merit.

1956 – 1965 United States Navy 1967-1970 New York National Guard

1970 – 1985 Co. B, 3 Bn, 12th Special Forces Group ABN. 1985 -1990 4th BDE, 104th In Div.

1990-1992 – IMA 4th SOC 1993 USA SOC

1994 SOC K (Korea) 1995 SOC PAC (Thailand)

1996 Joint Task Force 926 (Honduras) 1997- 1998 1st Special Forces Gp ABN (Thailand)

Ed served aboard the USS Antietam and was a member of the USS Antietam Association. Ed was assigned to the flight deck doing duty on cats and arresting gear.

While serving in the United States Navy, Ed was on the crew that guarded monkeys Able and Baker prior to their space flight.

Ed loved parachuting and had 360 jumps with the Special Forces.

Ed was a lifetime member of WM. R. Card Chapter XVI Special Forces Association, Ft. Lewis and of the National Special Forces Association.

He was an active member in the 46th Special Forces Association. As an active member, he brought school supplies and clothes to children in remote schools in Thailand.

Also, as a member of the 46th Special Forces Association, Ed proudly was involved in providing many cruises for Wounded Warriors.

Ed was a classic car enthusiast and owned a 1957 Oldsmobile 98 Star Fire. The factory color was pink, so Ed got the nick name “Pinky”, so he proudly wore a pink cap,

and his friends called him “Pinky.” Ed was a member of the Puget Sound Oldsmobile Club and enjoyed many in state and out of state car shows.

Ed loved the Alabama Crimson Tide College football team and the Seattle Seahawks. Ed, along with his army reserve team, repelled from the roof of the King Dome to the floor

where he threw out the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners baseball game on Armed Forces Day.

Ed loved traveling and cruising with his wife, also family and friends. Ed traveled to all 50 states and to all United States National Parks.

Ed was a member of the Veteran’s Memorial Museum, Chehalis, WA. Also, a lifetime member of the NRA and DAV Chapter 41 Olympia, WA.

In lieu of flowers Memorial Contributions are suggested to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or Special Forces Association Chapter XVI, Ft. Lewis, WA.

Viewing Service Edwards Memorial Funeral Home, Lakewood, WA. February 23, 2023, 3 – 5 PM, Pastor Jeffrey Ries and Chaplain Butch Hall

Memorial Service Zion Lutheran Church, 3410 – 6th Ave., Tacoma, WA 98406, February 25, 2023, 1PM, Pastor Jeffrey Ries

Veteran’s Honor Service Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent WA., March 3, 2023, 10:30 AM, Chaplain Butch Hall and Chaplain Jacob Robinson

Reception after Military Service on March 3rd, at Capt. Ron’s Team House, 17650 SE 295th Street, Kent, WA 98042

Ed’s final internment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.