Rev. Dr. Edward Charles Bastille, Jr.
April 5, 2020
LACONIA—-Edward Charles Bastille, 76, died peacefully with his wife Louise by his side on April 5, 2020. Ed was born in Gardner, Massachusetts on April 21, 1943, oldest son of Edward and Evelyn Bastille. He grew up in Baldwinville and when he was 14 his parents moved the family to Worcester, Massachusetts, where they owned and operated the
Highland Manor Rest Home. He had three brothers that he dearly loved, Richard, David, and Jim.
After attaining a degree from Springfield College in Organizational Development and History, Ed enlisted in the United States Air Force to serve his country. He is a Vietnam veteran and during that tour spent two years in Japan. After coming home, he followed a call into ministry attaining a Master of Divinity Degree from Andover Newton Theological School, Massachusetts. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ, (ordained at his home church, Central Church of Worcester, MA) Ed served a yoked parish, Park/St. Marks, Cochranton, Meadville, Pennsylvania. One of those parishes was in the country and he loved to share how the cows would come over and join in singing the hymns. His call to serve his country continued as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force stationed at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio and Dyess AFB, Texas. Finally the affects of Agent Orange, from being in Vietnam, began to affect his health and he was medically discharged from the Air Force, after which he went back to attain his Doctor of Divinity Degree in Pastoral Counseling from Andover Newton. He then served again as a parish pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ, Delmont, PA. While there he was very involved in the community and helped establish a Salvation Army Service Unit to help those in need. They got an old ambulance and converted it to a canteen that brought hot coffee, food, and refreshing cold water to the firefighters and others during disasters. The parsonage was the hub for gathering and when the fire sirens went off a team of dedicated volunteers showed up to heat hot water, thaw frozen donuts and hot dogs, and ready the canteen for duty.
While serving in Delmont, he met the love of his life; Louise (Meckes) and they married in 1985. Louise, also an ordained pastor, came to serve at Trinity, while Ed again followed his call to serve veterans. He became Chaplain at the Highland Drive VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA where he used his gifts in Pastoral Counseling. His call to serve veterans would next take him to Palo Alto, California to be Chief of Chaplain Service and VISN Chaplain for Honolulu, Guam, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Reno. He used his gifts in so many ways, founding a Clinical Pastoral Education program there, organizing a medical team to go to Honduras after a natural disaster, and continuing to add chaplains to meet the spiritual needs of his fellow veterans. He helped organize the VA Medical Musical Group, who once a year did a concert in Washington, D.C. and trips abroad with VA staff and patients from all over the country. Their first trip abroad was to Russia working with Friendship Ambassadors. Vietnam veterans connected with Russian Afghanistan veterans to share their experiences and find healing. A great joy for Ed was directing the PTSD Chorus at the Menlo Park VA, bringing healing through music. Of course, Ed’s door was always open to veterans and staff that needed a listening ear.
After retiring in 2006, Ed and Louise moved to Gilford, New Hampshire, beginning a new adventure with his brother Richard and sister-in-law Maurine Bastille as owners of the Gunstock Inn and Fitness Center. While there, Ed and Louise continued their calls to ministry, Louise in serving churches and Ed helped out as a part-time chaplain for the Manchester VA. During this time he was NH State Chaplain for the Disabled American Veterans and had served as California State, and National Chaplain for the DAV as well. He also traveled to Washington, D.C. as part of the National IRB for the VA. Ed and Louise joined with other clergy to offer retreats for veterans and their spouses. His final call to chaplaincy was with the Belknap County Nursing Home and Belknap County Correctional Facility. He loved his time there.
Sunday mornings Ed could always be found in the Tenor Section of the Choir at the Congregational Church of Laconia United Church of Christ. He loved singing and had a beautiful tenor voice! He was also a cherished tenor on the choir at the Congregational Church of San Mateo, UCC, California. Ed always found spiritual strength in singing.
His favorite hymn was “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
Family was important to Ed. He was lovingly known as Uncle Ed and Cousin Ed. He and Louise were blessed to have Cousin Amy come live with them in California; like having a daughter; a very special gift. Ed loved cooking, playing cards with Louise’s family, collecting hymnals and coins and chess sets. And he loved the beautiful flowers planted by sister-in-law Maurine. They shared a special closeness over the years. She typed his dissertation paper and was the only person that could actually read his handwriting. A highlight of Ed’s week was going to Market Basket with his brother Richard, who faithfully drove him wherever he needed to go and was always on-call to help Louise. Richard and Ed had lots of fun and adventures together, especially on those weekly Market Basket trips! His younger brother Jim (from Maine) had good timing in his visits and one time rescued Ed from his motorized chair that was stuck in the tall position! He loved telling stories at family gatherings of fun times together especially with his Aunt Georgianna (Nicholas) Favreau and cousins and times at their grandparents’ camp at Highland Lake, Stoddard, NH. He especially enjoyed that his niece Christine and her sons Jesse and Daniel lived next door and nephew Dan and his wife, Stephanie and son Evan lived close by in Gilford, too. He was so proud and loved all his nieces and nephews!!!
We also need to mention his beloved dogs…Noah, Betsy, Shem, Seth, Molly, Malcolm, Jeremiah and Teddy! Teddy brought joy! When Richard and Ed come home from dialysis treatments Teddy was there to lovingly greet Ed with his wagging tail.
Ed loved life and brought joy to many who crossed his path with his great sense of humor, faith, and caring for those in need. His Doctoral Dissertation was titled, “In Search of Healing and Wholeness.” Ed would hope that he used his faith to help many find Healing and Wholeness in their lives. We, who loved him, know that he did.
Ed attained many achievements and received many accolades and commendations over his lifetime, but the most meaningful was the love he gave and received from family, church members, friends and fellow veterans.
Ed is survived by his wife, Louise, of Gilford, NH, brother Richard and his wife Maurine Bastille, Gilford, NH, sister-in-law Susan Bastille, Biddeford, ME, and brother James and his wife Sandra Bastille, Saco, Maine. He is preceded in death by his brother David and his parents Edward and Evelyn (Nicholas) Bastille. Ed loved and cherished all his nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, many cousins, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Ed would want to give thanks and love to his dialysis family with Dr. Ishak at the Central New Hampshire Kidney Center, Laconia, and all who cared for him when he was ill. Ed was especially thankful for the exceptional care received over the years from all the VA medical staff.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 24, 2021, at 2:00pm at the Congregational Church of Laconia, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ed’s memory may be made to the Dorcas Fund of the Congregational Church of Laconia, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH 03246, Gilford Firefighters Relief Association, 39 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, NH 03249, the Delmont Salvation Army Service Center, 9 Freeport Street, Delmont, PA 15626- or your local Salvation Army, or a charity of your choice.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.