Edward “Ed” Channing passed peacefully on September 8 at the age of 90.

Ed was born in Turlock to Harry and Hazel Channing, the second of six children.  In 1933 the family moved to the family ranch in Hilmar where Ed attended Elim Grammar School, and then back to Turlock in 1942 where he would attend Turlock High School.  While at THS he participated in track, football, and baseball and was also Turlock High’s only ever recipient of the prestigious California Scholarship Federation Seymour Award.  

After graduating from high school in 1946 he attended the University of California, Berkeley where he completed a degree in Zoology and was a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.  

When Ed graduated from UCB in 1951 he enlisted in the Marine Corp and served in the Korean War on an airbase along the Sea of Japan.  He was discharged in 1953 and began dental school at UCSF in 1954.  

Ed married Marjorie Andriesse in 1959 and they returned to Turlock in 1960 where he joined his dad (also a dentist) and began a 35-year dental practice.

Outside of family and work Ed had many passions.  He was an enthusiastic supporter of wildlife, serving on the Stanislaus County Parks and Recreation Commission, the Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee, and the Yosemite Deer Herd Advisory Council and Technical Committees.  He banded mourning doves for approximately 50 years and wood ducks for nearly 40 years, conducting research and helping to grow these bird populations.  He worked with Turlock schools and CSU Stanislaus, educating youth in the areas of wildlife management and conservation.  He also was an avid gardener, supplying many a Turlock resident with seasonal flowers.

Ed ardently served the human community as well.  He served on the UC Berkeley Alumni Council, the Stanislaus County Cal Alumni Scholarship Committee, and the Century Club.  He was a member of the Turlock Exchange Club, the Knife and Fork Club, the Turlock Historical Society and the Hilmar-Irwin-Stevinson Historical Society, to name a few.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Marjorie (Midge) and two brothers, Harry Channing and Malcolm Channing.  He is survived by two daughters, Sally Channing Santiago and Carol Bronzan (Craig), six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, sisters Perlina (Kit) Nelson and Alyce Crider (Howard), and brother Clark Channing (Gretchen).

He was a kind, generous, and humble man and will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 2619 N Berkeley Ave., Turlock, CA

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a favorite charity of your choice, or to any of Ed’s favorites.  A few of those are the Turlock Historical Society, PO Box 18, Turlock, CA 95381;  The Hilmar-Irwin-Stevinson Historical Society, PO Box 487, Hilmar, CA 95324;  The Stanislaus County Fish and Wildlife Committee, Stanislaus County Parks Department, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Suite C, Modesto, CA 95358; The Mule Deer Foundation, (707)829-5904; The First Presbyterian Church of Turlock Deacons Fund, 2619 N. Berkeley Ave, Turlock, CA 95382.