EL DORADO — Ed Magee,
age 67, a lifelong resident of and entrepreneur in El Dorado, Ark., passed away peacefully on March, 31, 2021. Ed was born March 27, 1954, to E.H. “Buddy” and Lee Taylor Magee.
Ed is survived by his wife, Karen Peek Magee; his son, Taylor Magee and wife, Kerri Hughes, of Fort Smith; his daughter, Leslie Magee Duffield and her husband, Blake Duffield, of Conway; four grandchildren, Colette and Draper Magee, and Amelia and Garret Duffield. He is also survived by his brother, Don Magee and wife, Diane; along with a loving extended family and dear friends.
A devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, Ed always lavished praise on his family and spoke eagerly about them to anyone willing to hear, especially when it came to is grandchildren whom he adored.
Ed was an active member of First Baptist Church in El Dorado, where he enjoyed playing the drums in the praise band. A lifelong musician, Ed was equally at home tapping out a rhythm or smashing his specialty, Born to Be Wild!
He found joy in traveling with his family and friends. Ed took many trips to New York City for pleasure and mission work, as well. Many of his most treasured memories were of family trips to Orange Beach. Ever the servant, Ed made sure to bring an abundance of sand toys and water balloons for vacationing children to enjoy. He was renowned for his sandcastles.
During the stormy season, Ed always kept an eye on the weather, local and otherwise. He enjoyed storm chasing and would often be captivated watching thunderstorms roll in from his patio.
Ed had an outgoing personality and loved making people feel special, and he was an eternal jokester, which always charmed his grandchildren. He would delight in making children smile on his daily walks with his beloved four-legged companions. He also spent many hours working with the youth of El Dorado as a soccer coach for the Boys and Girls Club and El Dorado High School. Ed was often a fixture on the soccer fields refereeing numerous tournaments and games throughout the region. His impact on this community will last for generations.
He was blessed to have many great companions with whom he shared long talks, golf outings, and coffee-shop devotionals.
Above all, Ed devoted his life to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In both conversation and through the very way he lived his life he demonstrated no greater aim than to share the love of our Heavenly Father with others.
There will be a memorial service for Ed Magee at First Baptist Church of El Dorado on April 5, 2021, at 1 p.m., with a private burial under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors. Social distancing will be practiced and face masks will be required. For those that cannot attend, a livestream will be available on the First Baptist Church of El Dorado’s YouTube channel. Honorary Pallbearers include: Gary Bevill, Tony Forbes, David Greer, Mike Horne, Jamie Powell, David Prothro, Steve Rogers, Jay Stouppe, and Randy Thompson.
In lieu of flowers, Ed’s family wants to honor his request that toys be brought to First Baptist Church in El Dorado to be donated to local children, or that memorials be made to the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado or First Baptist Church Music Ministry. Condolences may be made online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com