Edwin Veith

Edwin Thomas Veith, formerly of Pelham and Quogue, NY, passed away on June 29, 2022, at the age of 90. He was born September 5, 1931, in New York, NY, one of two sons of Mary (Mae) C. Flannery and Edwin J. Veith.

Ed attended Fordham University, participating in the ROTC/USAF program. He graduated in 1953 with a degree in accounting, going to work initially at IBM. He married Mary (Marie) Theresa Leahy on April 23, 1955. Shortly thereafter, the USAF called him, along with his bride, to Izmir, Turkey, where his daughter Ellen Marie and his eldest son Edwin James were born. Ed finished up his tenure there as an Auditor for USAF and NATO before heading home to begin civilian life.

Ed’s energy, ambition, and impressive work ethic came to the fore during the 1960s. In 1961 he earned an MBA from Pace College and went to work as an Auditor at Bigelow Sanford, followed by positions as Director of Management Information Systems at ER Squibb & Son, and then, Controller of the Hooker Chemical Corporation. During this busy time, Ed and Marie also welcomed three more sons, Anthony John, Brian Michael, and David Thomas to their homes in St. James, NY, Bayside, Queens, and Scotch Plains, NJ. 

Ed, Marie, and children moved to Pelham, NY in 1969 where the family prospered. Career-wise, Ed spent the 1970s moving up the corporate ladder at US Filter, progressing from VP of Finance to CFO and eventually to COO. In 1981, Ashland Oil purchased US Filter and Ed was promoted to President and CEO of US Filter. Additionally, he was a VP at Ashland Oil and President and CEO of Ashland Paving and Construction. 

The 1980s saw a shift in Ed’s career trajectory when he left US Filter to become CEO of National Steel and Leer from 1985 to 1989. During the 1990s Ed focused his management expertise towards companies such as, Mirimar Marine/Carver Yachts, Memry Corporation, Mallard Coach Corporation, Trust Company of the West, Teachers Insurance Company, AccuHealth, Inc., and McAllister Towing and Transportation Company. 

Ed’s personal life was as rich as his professional life. His bonds with his family and lifelong friends were a source of great joy to him, as was his love of football, tennis, basketball, and other competitive sports. He was a student of history and read countless biographies of the world’s great leaders. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, brother, colleague, and friend. He was a leader, an athlete, a straight shooter, who always knew what he believed in and a raconteur with a razor-sharp wit and a larger-than-life presence. 

He leaves behind his cherished wife Marie, his beloved daughter Ellen and her fiancé Louis Annunziata of Pelham Manor, NY, his sons and their spouses - Edwin and Jan of Golden, CO, Anthony and Tara of Fairfield, CT, Brian and Carolyn of Pelham, NY, and David and Eileen of Fairfield, CT. He is survived by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren - Nicholas, Aisha, Marie, and Opal Veith, Alyssa Veith, Christopher, Matthew, Michael, and A.J. Elia, Madeleine, James, and Claire Veith, Lauren Veith, Danielle and Jennifer Veith. His younger brother and wife Gerald and Geraldine Veith of Douglaston Manor, NY, their children Stephen, Joanne, and Alyssa and their families also survive him.

A wake is scheduled to take place at the Pelham Funeral Home located at 64 Lincoln Ave., Pelham NY, on July 6, 2022, between the hours of 4 and 8 PM. A funeral mass will be held on Thursday July 7, 2022 at 11 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 559 Pelham Manor Road (entrance to parking lot off Fowler Avenue), Pelham Manor, NY 10803.