“When the storm clouds gather ‘round you, and heavy rain descends, just remember that death is not the end.” – Bob Dylan
Ned Seddon was, in every conceivable way, bigger than life.
He was (in no particular order), the best husband, father, teacher, friend, athlete, coach, mentor and human being that I have ever known. That said, what made him even more remarkable was the way he LIVED.
When Ned graduated high school he was restless. He was a rebel and – believe it or not – a hippie. He sported shoulder length hair and an attitude. He “questioned authority” and he wanted to change the world.
He drifted across America and found a job peeling potatoes in California, in a new burger joint called “McDonald’s,” where he could eat unlimited fries. He went to China with the “Chinese Peoples’ Friendship Association” before Richard Nixon “opened’ China. He discovered there that he could forge strong relationships with anybody. He was at Woodstock. Let me repeat, he was at Woodstock! He knew Abbie Hoffman. He toured Russia before it was cool, he wandered the Caribbean, Northern Europe, and – of course – France, with his life partner, Barbara.
He was a Teamster. He drove trucks and moved heavy things. He was both a Union activist and a thoughtful mediator. He always saw both sides of every argument. That, and his keen intelligence, is what enabled him to become a superb history teacher.
Ned was passionate about his subject. And about baseball, music, family, kids, and friendship. He LOVED his wife and son, and glowed with pride when he spoke of them. But he had room in that huge heart to love me, my wife and children, all of his students, and pretty much everybody who might read this. If you knew him, you know that his love for the people for whom he was responsible was unconditional and infinite. He was completely unique in this regard. The wonderful thing is that that love was returned, and magnified.
Family: Ned worshipped his – Barbara, his wife and partner of forty years, and Ned, the extraordinary young man they raised. Barbara brought Ned to international culture and enlightenment. She showed him Paris and French couture, and taught him to appreciate the niceties of Europe’s gentler side. They complimented one another and loved each other in a way very few ever do. They were each other’s rock. To meet young Ned is to instantly understand what parenting is about. He is intelligent, polite, respectful, and kind (and big and handsome and studly, but that’s not important!). One of the coolest things I have ever heard of, is that Big Ned took Little Ned (a relative term, as Little Ned is somewhere around 6’3”), on a reenactment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition when Neddy graduated high school. I have sworn to do the same with my boys hereafter, because that is the most inspired father-son bonding mission possible.
But Ned also constantly monitored the progress of my two sons, in school and in sports. And he monitored the progress of hundreds of other kids, students past and present, and could always keep track of where they were and how they were doing. His capacity for this was epic, and it gave him endless joy.
It’s a sports thang, you wouldn’t understand. Seriously, he was a three sport monster. He was a dominating high school athlete in baseball, football and basketball. In his era, his size and strength alone would have made him formidable, but he was a truly gifted athlete, with reflexes and hands that set him apart. He was a player-coach in Park League baseball into his 40’s. This is a league where a team may be made up of an all-star team of the local colleges. Let’s say, B.C.’s, shortstop, B.U.’s second baseman, a pitcher from Northeastern, and so forth. A 40 year old (and Latin Academy’s own Ricky Baugh was another such) is a very rare thing amongst such talent.
He was a rescuer of lost souls – human and animal. His beloved Lab, Mickey (named after Mickey Mantle, of course) was bound for the dog pound, until Ned stepped in. He belonged to a student who could not keep him. Ned took the dog – and then had to pay a serious veterinarian bill upon discovering that the dog was vermin-infested. When Ned fought – and beat – cancer four years later, Mickey returned the favor. The rehab hospital where Ned languished allowed Barbara to bring Mickey in for an extended visit. This gave Ned an immediate burst of hope and energy, and pushed him to work to regain his strength and return home.
What did Ned love? Let us begin… Barbara, Neddy, children, family, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, BASEBALL, Cooperstown, sports, friends, Natick, West Roxbury High, Boston Latin Academy, kids who faced adversity, steak, jazz, the blues, guitar, and the list goes on and on.
Going forward, I am resolved to do the following: I will no longer grieve for Ned; rather, I will celebrate his extraordinary life. Nor do I want to hear expressions of sympathy. I have not lost Ned, because we all must go when our time comes. I have the eternal gift of his friendship, and countless memories of the wonderful times we spent together. To have known Ned is to know unconditional love, as a parent feels for a child. Only Ned could bring that to the rest of us.
Provided by Tom Hocker
Visiting hours are Thursday, February 4th in John Everett & Sons funeral from 4:00 to 6:45 PM, followed by a Funeral Service. Burial is private.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Ned’s memory to the American Cancer Society 30 Speen Street Framingham MA 01701