Edward Elwell Counce, Jr.

Edward Elwell Counce, Jr., age 81, passed away on November 9, 2024. Ed was a 10th generation American, tracing his roots back to Edward Counce, who married Sarah Adams on February 25, 1662, at Malden, MA. He is the son of Edward Elwell Counce and Phyllis Germaine Harris Counce, both originally of New Orleans, LA. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dorris Virginia Jackson Counce; son Edward Elwell Counce, III, his wife Li Pei Counce, and their children Zoe Li Counce and Michael Frederick Counce; and daughter Carolyn Virginia Counce and her husband Bryan Lewis Brah, Jr. He is also survived by two brothers, David Oliver Counce and Philip Frederick Counce.

Ed was born on December 17, 1942, in Atlanta, GA, and grew up in New Orleans, LA, Meridian, MS, and Shreveport, LA. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics at Louisiana State University, BatonRouge, in 1965, and spent two additional years there completing graduate studies in Physics. He also received an MBA degree at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX, in 1979.

Ed served as a Captain in the United States Air Force from 1967-1971. During this time, he was assigned to the National Military Command System Support Center (NMCSSC) in the Pentagon, providing computer support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Ed worked at Planning Research Corporation (PRC) in McLean, VA, from 1971-1974 as a Project Manager and analyst, developing computer systems for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the Department of Labor Maritime Administration. Ed worked at USAA in San Antonio, TX, from 1974-2001, when he retired from USAA as an Executive Director in the Information Systems Department.

Ed and his wife Dorris are founding members of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Ed served as a Eucharistic Minister at the Brookdale Senior Living Center on De Zavala Road for three years, providing a weekly Communion/Liturgy service for its residents.

Ed valued his faith and family above all. His afternoon cocktail with his wife Dorris became one of his most enjoyable rituals. Ed also enjoyed researching and documenting his and his wife’s family genealogies, playing classical guitar, carving wildfowl birds, traveling, reading, skeet and target shooting, dove hunting, and salt water fishing.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to Catholic Relief Services (support.crs.org) or the St. Jude Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org).