Edmund Smith Chester, “Wimpy”, 78, beloved husband and father, passed away on June 3, 2009 at Fairview in Groton. He was predeceased by his loving wife Barbara V. (Hunt) Chester.
Wimpy retired from Electric Boat Corporation in 1993 after 29 years of service as an Electrician. Prior to EB he worked at Bradford Dyeing Association for many years.
Wimpy volunteered to serve his country in the Korean Conflict and joined the Army with his best friend Henry (Hank) Pendleton. He was promoted to Corporal in Company C, 35th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division US Army, during the first year of the Korean War and was his squad’s Browning Automatic Rifleman. He earned the Combat Infantry Badge and the Korean Service Medal with five service stars. His unit was in constant engagement with the enemy as they broke out from the southern tip of the peninsula and fought their way north to the border with China. A proud yet intensely modest man, he was fond of saying when questioned about his role in the war, “I marched all the way up the peninsula to the Yalu River and when the Chinese came over I ran all the way back down.” Despite his record, he would never admit to anything more than just being a soldier doing his job.
He will be sadly missed by his daughters and sons-in-law, Lynda and Mike Galetta, of Stonington and Donna and Peter Fedors, of North Stonington. He also leaves behind three treasured granddaughters, Michelle Galetta and Crissy Galetta of Stonington and Katrina Fedors of North Stonington as well as many nieces and nephews. His loss will also be felt deeply by his longtime caregiver Lori O’Donnell and his faithful coffee buddy Joe Kelly.In addition to his wife he was predeceased by his parents Ray and Lena (Smith) Chester, a sister Carol Whitford, and brothers Ray Addison, Wilbur, Rodrick and Theodore Chester, and his granddaughters Anna and Emilie Fedors.
A Funeral Service will be held at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Monday at 10:30am. Burial with presentation of military honors will follow at Union Cemetery. There are no visiting hours.
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