“Courage does not always roar; sometimes it’s a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying I will try again tomorrow.”
Edward Alan Kazan was born on October 22, 1946, in Woonsocket, R.I., the son of Stephen and Marie Kazan. He passed away on January 17, 2026, in Sunset Beach, N.C., where he and his wife, Lorraine, retired in 2004. Edward married his childhood sweetheart on October 28, 1967. They recently celebrated their 58th anniversary together. Their union was blessed with two children, Kevin and Kim.
Edward retired in 2004 after 27 years of federal government service. His last duty station was at the Naval Station in Newport, R.I., where he was the chief contracting officer. He also served in Burlington, Vt., for the Defense Logistics Agency and in Groton, Conn., for the U.S. Navy. Upon retirement he received the Navy’s meritorious service medal.
As a youth, Ed was a member of the Order of DeMolay and served as a junior counselor until he attained the majority age of 21. He then joined his father as a Master Mason in Morning Star Blue Lodge in Woonsocket, R.I., at which time he also became an adviser to the youth in DeMolay.
Ed was a spiritual man. He was a member of the board of directors at Central Baptist Church in Westerly, R.I., as well as a two term elder at Dunn’s Corner Community Church in Westerly. He was so proud to create and chair Shallotte Presbyterian Church’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament, which raised a total of $85,000, all of which was used to help those in need in the community.
Ed was a Vietnam veteran in the 4th Infantry Division, serving in the Central Highlands and Saigon areas. He was a lifelong member of the VFW and Disabled Veterans. His hope is that he left this life doing something to help those less fortunate and also that he made his father and mother proud.
Ed loved playing basketball as a youth, and in retirement he enjoyed playing golf with his wife and many friends at Sea Trail. He was an avid Boston Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan and attended each team’s games in his younger years.
Ed’s brother preceded him in death in 1984; his son, Kevin, in 1995; and his sister in 2018. Ed is survived by his best friend, soulmate and loving wife, Lorraine, of 58 years. He is also survived by his loving daughter, Kim, in Providence, R.I., and her spouse, Stuart Linacre. He is further survived by his cousins, Sandra, Judy, Ginger, Greg, Kathy and Glenn. He has two godchildren, Ted Kazan and Wendy Casey, as well as a niece, Meg Kazan. He has a lifelong best friend and brother from another mother, Elliot Douglas, of Colchester, Vt.
His life was made complete when he fell in love with his wife, Lorraine, and he cherishes every moment they spent together. He is very proud of his daughter, Kim, and hopes that he had a small part in helping her to grow up to be a wonderful young lady. He is thankful for all the friends he made, especially in his retirement years living and playing golf at Sea Trail.
This article appears in January 28 • 2026.