Edward Dale Cone was born in Toledo, Ohio to Arthur and Sadie (Fortress) Cone on May 16, 1943. Ed grew up swimming at his parent's cottage at Devil's Lake, Michigan and loved swimming and boating the rest of his life. When he was 65 he took a class to be certified to captain a sailboat. He made memories with some of his kids and grandkids sailing in Florida.

Ed attended DeVilbiss High School, in Toledo, and graduated a year early at the age of 17.  At the age of 19 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp in June 1962.  While at Camp LeJeune he was promoted to Lance CPL in 1963 and to CPL in1964. He was later selected, and attended, NCO Leadership School.  He was promoted to Sgt E-5 January 1, 1966. He was honorably discharged in October 1966.

After returning to the Toledo area he took flying lessons and earned his solo pilot's license.  He was adventurous and always enjoyed doing something new.

In 1977 he moved to Archbold, Ohio where his older sister, Beverly Cone Hart, resided.  He became a mechanic at Liechty Motors and was the first EPA Computer Certified Mechanic in the Fulton County area.  In 1978 he met the former Rita Reynolds and they were married June 16, 1979.   Prior to their marriage, Ed accepted Christ into his life, was baptized, and became a member of the Archbold Evangelical Mennonite Church.

In 1982 Ed and Rita moved to Waco, Texas where they resided for the next 23 years.  In Texas, Ed also served in the Army National Guard for two years and received training for Aircraft Defense. Ed was selected to shoot a red-eye missile, at a drone, during a National Guard demonstration.

Ed worked several different jobs in Waco before becoming the Shop Foreman at the U.S. Postal garage.

Ed became ill and was hospitalized at Baylor Medical Center, Dallas, TX in 1993. God provided Psalm 118:17 to Ed & Rita that says "I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done."  Another passage, revealed to Rita, while sitting in a waiting room was Isaiah 43: 1-2 . On 7/24/93 Ed and Rita were told Ed would eventually need a heart transplant.  Ed managed to not need the transplant for three years as he was maintained on medication and a defibrillator. When the defibrillator went off at work he was medically retired from the Post Office.

In 1996 Ed was hospitalized and was told he would either die in the hospital or get a donor heart. During the 8 weeks he waited for a donor he claimed Philippians 1:21 " For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."  The anthropologist, on the transplant team, requested to talk with Ed and wrote an article about him in a medical journal because of his calm demeanor.  Ed explained the verse:  "It's a win-win situation.  If I live, I can raise my kids. If I die, I'll be with Jesus."  The donor heart arrived November 30, 1996 (Thanksgiving weekend).

When Ed and Rita moved into the inner-city of Waco, he would fix bicycles for people to have transportation and he provided his own vehicle for transportation for people in need, including taking a young woman to work every day and her child to school every day for a year. He also helped be a monitor at the Mission Waco Manna House, Substance Abuse Recovery Center.   One year he was awarded Volunteer of the Year for Mission Waco because of his service to others.

In 2005 Ed and Rita moved to Roanoke, VA.  In each of the places Ed lived he served faithfully in his church and helped others if he could. Serving was one of his spiritual gifts.  At the time of his death, he was a member of Living Water Christian Church, Salem, VA.

While living in Virginia, Ed really enjoyed riding his motorcycle in the mountains, until he was physically not able.

Ed is survived by his wife, Rita, children Kathie (Tony) Sarmiento of Florida, Mike of Florida (and special friend, Sandy Paar Cone of Texas), Kerry of Florida, Anthony (Taylor), of North Carolina, Andrea of Texas, Alesha (John) Gaviria of Texas and Alynn (Fernando Lopez). He loved his children and enjoyed being at their events while they were growing up.

He was a loving grandpa of the following: Jessica(Brian), Tyler (Christina) , Weston (Kelsey), Elijah and Magnolia (Kathie's children), Dalton, Madison, and Paiten (Mike's children), Stevie (Kerry's daughter), Alaina(Daniel), JJ (who was raised as Ed & Rita's son the past 9 years), Liliana, Aleigha, Caleb, and Sapphira (Andrea's children), Carlos, and Dale (Alesha's children) and great-grandfather of five (Daniel, Jr - Alaina & Daniel DeLeon's child), Connor (Alynn and Fernando Lopez's child) twins Sadie and Elizabeth (daughters of Jessica and Brian Ferguson) and Carolynn (daughter of Madison Cone).

Also surviving are his nephew, Alex Hart and wife Pam of Bryan, Ohio and their daughter Crystal and family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Beverly Cone Hart, her husband, Jim Hart and their son James Edward Hart.

Ed will be greatly missed for his smile, his kindness, his wisdom and his quick wit. His motto - always posted on his bathroom mirror - "I will not complain".  Even during the last ten months he never complained and constantly said thank you for everything that was done to help him. Pain and suffering is inevitable but misery is optional.  Thus, Ed never complained.

Ed requested to be cremated. A Celebration of Ed's life will be at Living Water Christian Church, Salem, VA on November 6, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.  At Ed's request, his ashes will be shot off a mountain.

Ed would want you to know he loved Jesus and he is now in His Presence and that "Mighty currents of God's healing love flow through me now, renewing and restoring every fiber of my being. I am whole well, and free."

Memorials can be given to Living Water Christian Church, Salem, Virginia or Encompass Home Health, Roanoke Virginia or Good Samaritan Hospice, Roanoke, VA.