MARANA, Ariz. (13 News) – Family, friends and members of the community gathered Saturday, Dec. 21 to celebrate the legacy that Marana Mayor Ed Honea left—and honor nearly 40 years of public service.
The 77-year-old passed away on November 22, after serving the town for decades.
“He served his country. He fell in love. He set examples and expectations. He led with kindness, and he invited you to meet him there. He lived a life worth living,” said Whit Honea, Mayor Ed Honea’s son.
“He wasn’t just a leader for the area, he was a friend of everyone,” said Congressman Juan Ciscomani, a dear friend of Honea. “Someone said its not so much everyone that knew him, but how he knew everyone. He always made you feel special.”
Dawn Drey, who has lived in Marana for nearly 17 years and saw the former mayor at church every Sunday, echoed Ciscomani’s thoughts.
“He made sure to seek out our family every Sunday. And he’d come and check in with us and see how we were doing,” Drey said. “And he just remembered things about you, and made you feel like you were special.”
Honea’s love for not just his town, but his family and his faith were also celebrated, as friends and family laughed and cried sharing stories of his life over the years.
Everyone in attendance also received “Eddie Rays” sunglasses, a staple of Honea’s signature look.
Terry Rozema, town manager of Marana, was ecstatic to see just how many people came out to the service Saturday.
He had worried attendance might be diminished with the holidays so close, yet hundreds showed up.
“It was a testament to his impact on so many people,” Rozema said.
If he were to emulate one quality of Honea, Rozema shared, it’d be his sense of humor. “We laughed, we smiled, it was a great friendship.”
And there’s one thing he hopes the community takes from Honea’s legacy, too: the will to be as selfless as he was.
“Care about other people more than you care about yourself,” Rozema concluded.
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