Edwin L. Gormours

Eddie, as he was known to family and friends, passed away on July 2, 2018 with his daughter, Donna, and his granddaughter, Alyssa, by his side at Fairfax Hospital.

Eddie, born on June 23, 1936 in Farmville, VA, was the oldest son of the late Lee Astor Gormours and the late Virginia Elizabeth Winders Gormours.  His only sibling was a younger brother, the late William “Bill” Thomas Gormours.

Eddie’s family moved to Arlington, VA, in part to be closer to his maternal grandmother, Mary Jane Winders.  Mary Jane, affectionately referred to as “Big Mama,” was the family matriarch and self-made businesswoman, owning several properties in Northern Virginia, including the Statesman Motel in Alexandria.

Eddie moved to Arlington and graduated from Washington-Lee High School in 1954.  He then joined the U.S. Navy in 1955 and served until 1957.  He went to work for the FBI reading fingerprints.  Early in 1959, Eddie married the late Norma Lee Yost of Washington, DC.  Later that year, their daughter, Donna Marie, was born.

Eddie worked at LC Smith in Alexandria as a Dispatcher for many years, and then took a “retirement job” at The Home Depot in Falls Church, VA, where he worked for 17 years in the call center.  For those 17 years, Eddie was the “voice” of the Falls Church Home Depot, answering the phones and helping customers each day.  He made many lasting friends at LC Smith and The Home Depot.

In September 2017, Eddie was diagnosed with level 4 Glioblastoma, a rare but aggressive form of brain cancer.  He was otherwise as healthy as an 81-year-old could be and many commented that he looked years younger than his age.  Eddie withstood chemo, radiation, and pneumonia, but this cancer is a monster that defies any type of treatment and he was a fighter until the end.

Eddie was a long-time resident of Arlington, VA and Falls Church, VA and was an avid Redskins fan since the 1950’s.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, the Redskins, cars (especially Jeeps), watching old Western movies, and spending time with his family and friends. He is survived by his daughter, Donna, and his granddaughter, Alyssa. He is predeceased by his loving wife, Norma, in 2008, and his beautiful grandson, Alec, in 2015. His brother, Bill, passed away in 2012.

Eddie will always be remembered as a funny, warm, loving, kind-hearted man who will be missed by all those who knew him.  The world was a better place with him in it, but maybe we can all draw solace in knowing that he has been reunited in Heaven with his wife and grandson.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edwin L. Gormours, please visit our floral store.