Edwin Vedejs

Edwin "Ed" Vedejs suddenly passed away at home with his wife by his side on December 2, 2017. He was born in Riga, Latvia on January 31,1941, to Velta (Robeznieks) and Nikolajs Vedejs. As a World War II refugee, he lived for six years in displaced persons camps in Germany before emigrating to the US in 1950. His family settled in Grand Rapids, MI near relatives and Latvian community. Edwin received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UW-Madison and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard with a professor who was to receive a Nobel Prize. He returned to become a professor of organic chemistry at UW-Madison for 30 years and UM-Ann Arbor for 15 years. He was an internationally known scholar and prolific author publishing and editing hundreds of papers and books. He was the recipient of the Moses Gomberg Collegiate Professor of Chemistry Chair and in turn the Edwin Vedejs Collegiate Professor of Chemistry Chair was established in his honor. The American Chemical Society awarded him the Herbert C. Brown Medal in 2004 and selected him as a Fellow in 2008. While he received numerous honors for his scientific excellence and service, he was most appreciated for his teaching and ...[more]

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otion to mentoring scores of graduate students and younger colleagues. Ed had an abiding commitment to Latvia. He worked tirelessly to help promote its sciences by sponsoring many graduate students and professors to study at UW, coordinating access to journals, collaborating on grants and for volunteering to teach at Riga Technical Institute. For his efforts he received many honors including the national service award, Order of the Three Stars, as did his grandfather decades earlier. Ed also reclaimed his family's ancestral home in Cesis which he passionately and meticulously renovated. He treasured having visitors to this home, proudly sharing the complex history of the home and homeland. Ed's keen intellect and wide range of interests led to rich conversation and laughter. He appreciated the arts playing classical guitar and listening to classical works which he knew by heart. He was deeply touched and inspired by the beauty of nature. Skiing, camping and biking were enjoyed, especially if done with family. Travels around the world with his wife were of special pleasure. Ed loved life and approached his future with peace knowing he had had a good and meaningful life. Ed was a family man, a loyal husband, proud father, brother and cousin who was compelled to help however he could. He was a truly good man who will be forever loved and missed. Edwin is survived by his loving family: wife Pat Anderson; son Michael (Trudy Davis) Vedejs; daughters Christina (Jacques) Mersereau; Jesikah (Dominick) Cordova; and Julia (John) Vander Meer; brother Arthur Vedejs; brother-in-law Fred (Pat Ferguson) Anderson; mother-in-law Arleen Anderson; cousins Ilze Cieslak, Mara Hofmeyer, Jana Abolins and Dainis Vedejs; nieces Kristen Maguran, Katie Gorncy and Brita Vedejs; nephews Andris Abolins and Nikolajs; and their families; and also his former wife Melita Vedejs. He will be missed by many dear colleagues and friends in the US, Latvia and elsewhere. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister-in-law Ilona Vedejs and brother-in-law Glenn Anderson. A celebration of Ed's life's will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, December 16, 2017, at Cress Funeral Home; 3610 Speedway Road; Madison. Family and friends are invited to share memories of Ed at that time and/or at wwwCressFuneralService.com. Family will welcome friends beginning at 9:00 A.M. Donations may be made to the organization of your choice or to the family c/o Cress Funeral Home. The family will forward donations to the Riga Technical Institute. Cress Funeral and Cremation Service 3610 Speedway Road Madison 608-238-3434