Funeral Director

ecowell@vacremationsociety.com

Eddie was born, raised and educated in Norfolk, Virginia. After graduating from Lake Taylor High School, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and became a career Marine. While serving as a Marine he was blessed to be assigned to work in some of the most prestigious jobs and duty stations around the world, such as:

  • Drill Instructor Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.
  • Drill Instructor Officer Candidate School Quantico, VA
  • Non-Commissioned Office in Charge of Refueling Section in Support of the Presidential Helicopter “Marine One”
  • Headquarters United States Marine Corps in Washington D.C, Hawaii, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain just to name a few. Eddie is also a combat Marine of both Operation Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism.
In May 2005 he enrolled in Tidewater Community College at night where he studied general courses/pre-funeral service. In January 2006, he retired as a Sergeant Major (E-9) after serving 28 years and holding every enlisted rank within the Marine Corps. After retirement, he became a federal employee where he worked for the Department of the Army at Fort Eustis as a transportation analyst. He was given the opportunity to rejoin the Marine Corps, this time out of uniform as a special staff officer to the Commander as the Family Readiness Officer. During this time, he continued his studies at night.

In December 2009, he earned an associate degree in applied science from Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he received his formal education in funeral service. In March 2011, he was licensed as a funeral service provider in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In May 2011 he graduated from the Advance Postmortem Reconstructive Surgery Seminar and the Advance II Postmortem Reconstructive Surgery Seminar held at the Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills in Springfield, Missouri.

Eddie is a past President of the Norfolk Funeral Directors Association, and a member of the Virginia Morticians’ Association, Inc. He holds masonic membership in the following Prince Hall organizations: Past Master Triangle Lodge #293, Truxton-Mt. Moriah Chapter #9 HRAM, James E. Fuller Council #2 R&SM, Antioch Commandry #7 and Alpha & Omega Consistory #9.

Eddie is a member of First Baptist Church Compostela in Norfolk, Virginia.