Edward (Ed) Ivey Futch (September 3, 1941 – August 8, 2025)
Memorial Service Saturday October 25th 10:00 am St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Goldsboro, NC 27530
Edward Ivey Futch, age 84, died peacefully on Friday, August 8, 2025.
He was born on September 3, 1941, in Miami Beach, FL. Ed was the son of Ivey Edward Futch and Muriel Helen Iverson and was predeceased by his wife, Glenda Futch, and daughter, Cynthia Lee Freeman.
Ed was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1966 (31st Company).
His service to the US Navy began serving aboard a naval destroyer as “Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter (DASH) Controller”, followed by service as a naval intelligence and liaison officer in Vietnam, where he received the Bronze Star with Valor for combat operations, and a Navy and Presidential Unit Commendation for superior job performance under combat conditions.
From there he became an antisubmarine warfare instructor at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Brunswick, GA. He was the Training, Executive, and Commanding Officer of Selective Service overseeing the armed forces preparedness for Southeast Virginia. He finished his naval career as the Commanding Officer of Minesweeping Division 123 out of the Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk, VA, reaching the rank of Captain and earning the Legion of Merit for outstanding service to his country.
He also proudly served as the Blue and Gold officer for Eastern North Carolina, where he guided future naval officers to his beloved Naval Academy.
Ed was married to Glenda Dodson Futch for close to 45 years, sharing a life filled with love and companionship. He is survived by his children Christina Brandt, Tracey Davenport (Charles), Jeff Phillips (Terry), and he was a proud grandfather to Samantha McKendree (Kevin), Justin Davenport (Dianna), Joshua Davenport (Karen), Kelsey Jones (Bryce), Courtney Wilcox (Ian), Carter Phillips, Corbin Phillips, and Bobby Brandt. Additionally, he leaves behind eight cherished great-grandchildren.
Rick died peacefully in home hospice on August 14th, 2025, surrounded and supported by loved ones in Hermiston, Oregon.
Rick grew up in La Grande, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1966 (10th Company) and first met his future wife Joyce (Joy) while he was home on leave as a commissioned Naval officer. The pair shared a pizza on a blind date, and Joy was struck by Rick’s intellect, gentle demeanor and impeccable manners. Rick and Joy married in 1967, and would move between San Diego and Texas while Rick piloted S-2’s from aircraft carriers and later, trained new pilots to do the same. Rick left the Navy in 1972, was hired by Delta Airlines, and he flew with them until he retired in 2002 as a Captain.
Rick and Joy moved from Houston with their son, Roger to Rockford, Illinois, where their daughter Amanda was born. They moved to Eugene, Oregon, where they raised their two children, and would later live in Sisters, Prineville, and finally, Hermiston. Of his career as a pilot, Rick would enjoy the challenge, a chance for him to experience locations and cultures around the world, but did not appreciate the time it kept him away from his home and family.
For those closest to him, Rick was known for his steadfast care, concern, support, intelligence, and independent thinking. He was faithful to his loved ones and his duties as a provider, and fostered education and learning as priorities for himself and his family. He was generous with immediate and extended family with possessions and property, never failed to offer help when asked for it, and was always considering and implementing ways to help others move forward in their lives, especially when times were difficult. This was so natural to him that it was sometimes easy for those impacted by his generosity to forget just how special it was.
Rick valued human connection and peace, and spread his influence humbly. You might have read one of Rick’s carefully-crafted letters to the editor, encountered him in your life when he held the door open for you or your entire party, or at work when someone looked you in the eye and offered thanks to you for something simple you did for him. You might have seen him sitting in a coffee shop with a good book and a maple bar, and he might have tried to begin a conversation with you about your perspective on life. As much as was humanly possible, Rick was sincere, respectful, and behaved and lived as a gentleman.
Rick is survived and missed by his wife of 58 years, Joy, his daughter Amanda (David) Melville, her children Hannah, Hailey, and Hope, and his son Roger (Kelly) Martin, and his children Connor, Evan, and Quinn.
He is also survived by his sister Barbara (Craig) Terjeson, nephew Sam (Nieves) Martin and his son Alex, and niece Karen (John) Hardaway and her son John Jr.
Rick is predeceased by his father, Wendell, mother, Eleanor, brothers Dennis (Lerice) and Lee (Anjala).
This powerful exhibit brings forward the names and stories of Virginia’s still missing in action and the ongoing efforts to bring them home. The crucial work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) will be highlighted, as well as other agencies, in their mission to locate, identify, and return our MIAs. Today, more than 80,000 Americans remain missing, including more than 1,300 Virginians – this exhibit is a tribute to them.
Our thanks to ’66 Classmate Pete Bernier (18th Company) for bringing this information to our attention.
Navy Football kicks-off on Saturday 30 August in Annapolis against VMI at noon. USNA66/USNA16 tailgate festivities commence at 1000. For tailgate and other stadium details Click HERE.
If you attend the tailgate, please consider sharing any pictures you may take for posting on the USNA66 website. Email jpeg photos to: usna66webmaster@gmail.com.
The USNA Class of 1966 is invited to the “RELAX JAX” FLORIDA 2026 COMEAROUND in Jacksonville, FL from Tuesday April 21-Friday April 24.
Your host is Bob Zvacek (24th Company). The host hotel is the DOUBLETREE by Hilton and is situated on the south bank of the St John’s River in the city of Jacksonville.
Planned events for this get together are a visit and tour of the Cummer Art Gallery via water taxi, dinner at the Chart House Restaurant, tour of the ORLECK (DD-886) otherwise known as the Grey Ghost of the Vietnam Coast, a water taxi tour of the city and a closing reception on the pool deck of the hotel. Also, we do play golf for those of us who still can.
Why this location? The views are wonderful, the river walkway is right outside the hotel and the water taxi is based at the hotel. Focus is on minimizing walking and maximizing fun. If you haven’t been to a Florida Comearound you are missing something special. Contact Bob Zvacek at email address rzvacek66@gmail.com or by cell (904)-652-7216 to get on the Zgram list for the details of cost, timing of events and also to ask any questions regarding reservations, etc. Hope to see you in April.
You are encouraged to read or listen to EITHER book – OR BOTH – but it is not required.
Strangers in Time by David Baldacci: set in London in 1944, it is a character-driven tale of three disparate souls whose paths unexpectedly intertwine during the last year of the Second World War.
Per author Jodi Picoult, “Baldacci’s foray into historical fiction is a meticulously precise account of what it was like to live through the Blitz in London—a visceral reminder that war not only levels social classes but creates the most unlikely and indefatigable bonds between unlikely souls.”
Annapolis Goes to War: The Naval Academy Class of 1940 and Its Trial by Fire in World War II by Craig Symonds*. In WWII, the Naval Academy Class of 1940 (the “Forties”) lost 76 graduates. Seven of them were aboard the Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941. The book begins with wide-eyed students converging on the banks of Maryland’s Severn River and describes the Academy experience that our husbands went through 22 years later. After graduation, the Forties were posted to nearly everything the Navy could offer, from big battleships and aircraft carriers to cramped submarines, on land with the Marines and in the air aboard fighters, dive bombers and helium blimps. And then Pearl Harbor happened… A great summary of the book by the Wall Street Journal is HERE.
As wives of USNA grads you will be able to appreciate a lot of the references to the Academy.
“Craig Symonds…skillfully weaves a tale both grand and human, of promising young men coming of age against a backdrop of darkening global portents, who find themselves unexpectedly fighting the largest, most crucial war in history. Captivating.” — Jonathan Parshall, Author of Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
*Symonds is a professor of naval history at USNA.
NOTE: The book chat will be conducted during the last half of our regularly scheduled ladies zoom on October 15. We will send you a few questions to review one month before the Book Chat. The questions are intended to tease out some of the more interesting threads of connection and impact that you may wish to share.
RELATED NEWS: Navy logbook that recounted Pearl Harbor recovered after 84 years. Click HERE for article.
Upon one link in the cable Dependeth the might of the chain Who knows when thou mayest be tested So live that thou bearest the strain
—Laws of the Navy
Class of 2016 Request for 2025-2026
Eric Kellogg, USNA 2016 Class President, recently contacted Class of 1966 unofficial tailgate coordinator, Charlie Jones (22nd Company), to see if ’66 had any interest in opening up a tailgate for members of 2016. The idea would be to pick a game to maximize participation by ’16. He also noted that they have begun planning their 10 year reunion next fall and will pass along details to ’66. Their plan is to make every event open to ’66 and, especially, to try to identify one specific event around the link in the chain.
We hope to see more of our 2016 brothers at upcoming games. Go Navy! Beat VMI, UAB, Rice, AF, FAU, USF and, especially, Army! Stay tuned for further updates.
NOTE: Click HERE for a brief “throwback” article of how and when the ALINC program started.
What effect will NIL and/or the Trasfer Portal have on USNA (or all three Academies) Football? Question from Tom Petillo (1st Company)
ANSWER
In era of NIL ($ for name, image and likeness) and transfer portal, Navy and Army are thriving without either. How are they pulling it off? ‘We are a unicorn’. Click HERE for an article from October 2024.
Click HERE for the Navy Portal Tracker page, an at-a-glance view of the total “talent churn” through the portal, as well as key additions, impactful losses and how they rank amongst all FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football competition in the NCAA) schools and within the conference.
Our thanks to Charlie Jones (22nd Company) for the information cited above.
Steve Comiskey ’69, Chair, USNA Council of Class Presidents, announced on 30 July 2025 that we have successfully achieved the DoD funding to protect the Columbarium from rising water and sufficient funds have been raised to build a new Columbarium annex.
Following is a letter from Bill K.J. Hebert ’82, Director, Class Legacy Gift Programs at USNAAA, on details and an expected construction schedule.
Shipmates,
The Alumni Association and Foundation, is pleased to announce that we have met our fundraising goal for the new Columbarium Annex, thanks to the Council of Class Presidents, to the generosity of the entire alumni community, to the Class of 1975’s original lead gift, and especially to the Class of 1969’s efforts to close the gap on the required necessary funding.
With this final fundraising step now complete for this new Columbarium annex, we can expect the contracting process to now begin with an estimated completion in the summer of 2027 of this new Columbarium annex to be built at the top of the hill just behind the current Columbarium.
While this new Columbarium annex is under construction, alumni families desiring inurnment for deceased and eligible alumni and alumni spouses should please contact USNA Memorial Affairs after the date of death to get on the waiting list for the new Columbarium annex.
LEADERSHIP AWARDS AND PRE-CEREMONY PARTY 16-17 SEPTEMBER 2025
This image was taken at the USS GONZALEZ commissioning ceremony in 1996.
The 2025 Leadership Awards for USS GONZALEZ will be presented on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, on board GONZALEZ in Norfolk, VA. Al Konetzni (36th Company) will represent the Class and make the presentations. Consistent with previous award presentations, the ceremony will begin at 1100 with lunch in the Wardroom after the ceremony.
’66 Classmates are encouraged to attend as the CO and the entire Crew display the utmost courtesy and hospitality to members of The Class during our visit to GONZALEZ.
Charlie Votava (17th Company) is the POC for the Tidewater/Norfolk area. Please contact him or Chuck Grutzius (33rd Company) with any questions.
UPDATE ON 2 EVENTS CELEBRATING THE GONZALEZ AWARDS
Wednesday, 16 September 1700-2000 (5-8 pm)
Trudy Hoff, widow of Mick Hoff (29th Company), has graciously offered to host the class gathering at her lovely home. NOTE: address will be provided to attendees.
Thursday, 17 September 1100
VADM Al Konetzni will present the awards on board USS GONZALEZ, Naval Station Norfolk, VA, at 1100 on 17 September. We are normally invited to coffee, introductions and conversation with CO, XO, CMC, prior to proceeding to the fantail for the ceremony, which is followed by lunch in the Wardroom. Attendance at this ceremony is encouraged as the CO and the entire Crew display the utmost courtesy and hospitality to members of The Class during our visit to GONZALEZ.
IMPORTANT NOTES
RSVPs for each event must be sent to Charlie Votava NO LATER THAN COB Tuesday, 2 September. This date will allow sufficient time to complete planning for Tuesday evening and to coordinate with GONZALEZ Action Officer participation in the onboard ceremony.
MOBILITY should be considered regarding participation in the Wednesday onboard GONZALEZ ceremony. Those attending the onboard ceremony will have to navigate two levels of interior ships ladders plus a third ladder to/from the fantail as well ascending/descending the brow to/from the pier and Quarterdeck.
For Out of Town Attendees: Charlie Votava can provide information on local hotel, Navy Lodges and MWR oceanfront condo reservations.
For more information on The Class of 1966 Leadership Awards, Click HERE.
