Edwin Russell Fair

Edwin “Ed” Russell Fair, 84, of Tucker, Georgia, made his final takeoff on March 15, 2021 after a long illness.  He is survived by his wife Mary Ann (Simon) Fair; children Marie Fair of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ed Fair Jr (Cyndee) of Conyers, Georgia, David Fair (Kathy) of Midvale, Utah; step daughters Susan Lambert (Richard Hatem) of Pasadena, California, Anne Lambert (Tim Waples) of Charlotte, North Carolina; grandchildren Anson Oppegaard, Janna Kregoski (Chris), Russell Fair (Julie), Staci Fair (Jesse Burnett), Jessie Fair (William Egan), Carissa Fair, Ben Fair, Kellina Holloway (Taylor), Steven Fair (Lauren), Erica Hartig (Kurt), Hillary Fair (David Whitaker), Emily Fair; step grandchildren Owen Gerber-Hatem, Spenser Gerber-Hatem, Dashiell Lambert Hatem, Jonah Griswold, Christian Griswold; fifteen great grandchildren; three step great grandchildren; and many in-laws and former in-laws and their families.

Ed was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas to Luther and Marie (Hare) Fair.  After the death of his mother in San Diego in 1940, he went to live with his maternal grandparents in Glenwood, Arkansas for the duration of World War II.  When his father was discharged from the Navy in 1947 he went to live with him and his stepmother Florence in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, where he graduated from North Attleboro High School.

He attended Georgia Tech and served in the Marine Corps Reserves.  Among other jobs, he worked for IBM and MAI, then started his own business leasing and servicing computers and related equipment, from which he only recently retired.  He was an early and long time member of the Atlanta 68xxx Computer User’s group, and a member of the Atlanta Historical Computer Society.

Ed enjoyed flying and became a private pilot.  He was a fanatical soccer enthusiast, organizing, coaching, and refereeing countless recreational, high school, club, and college games; and supporter of one of the earliest professional soccer franchises in the United States, the Atlanta Chiefs.  He successfully passed down that passion to his many offspring.

In his later years he enjoyed volunteering with several nonprofit organizations, and providing technical support and sharing his knowledge of computers with history groups and museums, including the Computer Museum of America in Roswell.

He was an active member of Christ Church Episcopal of Norcross where he was in the Men's Group and served on the Finance and other committees.

A celebration of Ed's life will be held on Saturday May 1, 2021 at 11:00 am at Christ Church Episcopal in Norcross, GA https//www.ccnorcross.org

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to Operation Save a Family, Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, PO Box 1489, Norcross GA 30091; Christ Church Episcopal Reserve Fund, 400 Holcomb Bridge Rd, Norcross, GA 30071; or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Arrangements by Byrd and Flanigan Crematory & Funeral Service, Lawrenceville. 770-962-2200.

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