Page created by: Julie Ehlers

Edward Delaney Ehlers passed peacefully in his sleep on July 30th a few days into his 86th year. He was born to a pioneer ranching family in Merced, CA to Charles Henry Ehlers and Mary (Delaney) Ehlers.

After graduating from Fresno State College in 1955, he served in the Navy as a rated journalist on land and aboard the USS Worcester and the USS Columbus from 1955 to 1957. While working as a Regional Planner in Merced, he met his wife of 57 years, Nancy Greenfield, who was working for the City of Fresno. After their marriage in 1961, Edward worked as a Regional Planner for the University of Oregon. In 1965 he returned to California to work for the State and designed and arranged the construction of the new flood-free town of Klamath, Del Norte County, CA after it was destroyed by the Klamath River Flood of December 1964. The corner of US 101 and Ehlers Way in Klamath is named in his honor. He was the Deputy Director of the Department of Navigation & Ocean Development under Governor Reagan and was a member of the Governor’s Select Committee on Law Enforcement Problems.

As Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Conservation, he oversaw the Division of Forestry and initiated the efforts to convert S-2 military airplanes for use in the fight against forest fires. He retired in 2007 after over 20 years as the Executive Director of Associated California Loggers. He was the past President of the California Forest Center at Cal Expo which educated State Fair attendees through a living forest exhibit and for many years served as a member of the Cal Expo Agricultural Advisory Committee. He also served as President of the National Council of Forestry Association Executives.

Throughout his life he enjoyed camping at Lake Tahoe and Yosemite and cars of all eras - from his father’s 1926 Model T Ford pick-up truck to keeping up with the latest models. He was an avid student of military history and enjoyed his time as a volunteer at the Aerospace Museum of California. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Nancy; his daughter, Julie Ehlers of New York City; his son, Kirk Ehlers (Stacey) and granddaughter Ava Ehlers of San Diego and his many friends. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in his name would be appreciated.