Edward Roe Poush, age 73, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on October 30th, 2021. A lifelong non-smoker, he waged a rapid battle with lung cancer before he passed on peacefully in his home in Grinnell, surrounded by family. Family will receive friends from 9:30 am to 10:20 am on Saturday the 6th, at Grinnell Christian Church. A memorial service will be held there starting at 10:30 am, followed by a luncheon in the Family Life Center for all those who wish to share memories in a more informal setting. Out of respect for the family, plan to wear a mask to the reception and memorial service. Memorial gifts in Ed's honor may be made to MICA (Mid-Iowa Community Action), the American Bible Society, or Mayflower Dietary Open Dining. If you would like to send a card to the family, please send them via Grinnell Christian Church at 1331 Hobart Street, Grinnell, IA 50112. You may also share condolences online at http://www.everloved.com/life-of/edward-poush. This site also has information regarding live streaming the service. Ed was born on July 8th, 1948 to Charles Roe and Charity Genevieve (Lillie) Poush in Leon, Iowa. He attended a rural one-room schoolhouse for many years, and helped out his family by cooking for the farmhands. He graduated from Leon High School in 1966. Later on he earned an AA at Centerville Junior College in Iowa, a BA in Psychology at Grace College in Indiana, and a specialist certificate in Long-Term Care Administration from DMACC in Des Moines. Ed lived in Muscatine, Iowa from 1971 until 1988. He worked at the General Hospital there as the Personnel Director, and had a side business selling his indisputably delicious dinner and cinnamon rolls. He worked as the Administrator at Mayflower Community in Grinnell for 30 years, retiring in 2018. Ed was united in marriage to Sharon Ruth Skellenger in Dover, NJ on July 8th, 1978. Their union was blessed by four children, all of whom have been honored to produce grandchildren for Ed to adore. Ed had a passion for enjoying the beauty of creation. From his love of gardening (a variety of plants) to enjoying the majesty of a scenic view in any area to which he traveled. This passion extended to human contributions of creation in the form of books (Ed was a voracious reader of mysteries, history, biographies, and many more), music (besides greatly enjoying classical music, Ed himself was a talented piano player and singer), and cooking (Ed loved trying new foods of every kind, and excelled in particular at baking treats that delight the tongue). Together with Sharon, Ed fostered over 70 children during his life, and adopted two. He made it readily apparent that his home was always open, sometimes last minute, to the good-natured dismay of Sharon! It could be trusted that Ed would always connect with a person in the room, whether someone who had known him for years and already knew of his excellent character, or someone who was now a new friend. In the same vein, Ed loved to be involved with Grinnell College International Students. Those who speak about Ed invariably use the words "generous" and "kind." All of these elements build around the central pillar of Ed's life: faith in Jesus Christ. He devoted a great deal of time and resources to the local and worldwide church, and was a member of Grinnell Christian Church where he served as Elder and Sunday School teacher for many years. Ed earnestly worked towards having his life and character reflect that which Jesus wants out of a disciple. Enjoying the world that God has built, tending to the people that God loves, daily Bible study, and humbling himself to the service of others: Ed's life is an example that all of us who knew and loved him will strive to emulate. He is preceded in death by his parents, and waits for the rest of us at the gates of Heaven. Those of us wishing farewell to him include his younger siblings and their families: Rob and Joy, Kathy and Dave, and Shelly. Ed's children and their families are: Matt and Wendy (Sonnenberg), with children Zelda and Linus; Mike and Misty (Harmon), with children Ash, Wolf, Merry, and Margie; Jenny, with children Katie and Ben; and Seth and Jess (Routier), with children Owen and a baby girl due in February 2022.