As the Bellevue Little Theatre prepares to celebrate the end of its 40th season, the actors, singers and dancers are the ones dedicated to bringing joy to our community, mourned the loss of one of their founding members.

Edward Swanson led a full life, full of family, full of fun, full of passion, but most of all, full of love.

When he died from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on April 5 at the age of 83, it's that love that people remembered most.

I'm 70, he was 83, but still it was almost like losing a father, said Ted Roche, president of the BLT's board of directors. Roche knew Ed for more than 20 years.

In a way, Ed and his wife, Bette, are the faces of the theater. In the lobby before a show, Bette is always running around, shaking hands and introducing everyone to everyone else, Roche said.

Ed was always sitting quietly, smiling and nodding at everybody, but no one that came in the lobby would go in the theater without going over to shake [Ed's] hand, Roche said. [Bette and Ed are] just two sides of the same coin.

When the doors of the theater were open, you could almost always find a Swanson inside, whether performing, producing or just folding programs.

I can remember him sitting there in the lobby with the programs, stuffing them with donation envelopes, every one of them, said BLT board member Clara Sue Arnsdorff.

But Ed's greatest contributions to the BLT were his experience and wisdom, which came from 40-plus years in the theater business, including a role in the BLT's first production, Love Rides the Rails, in 1968.

If Ed said, ˜You know we really shouldn't do that, you listened, Roche said. You knew that he thought it through and it was a wise, wise thing to do.

One side of Ed that few people heard about was his service to his country in World War II.

You could call him a real hero with his war efforts, said Emil Ted Swanson, Ed's brother.

Many war veterans tell stories of their time in battle to anyone who asks. But not Ed. He was more of a music man.

His children didn't even know their father was in the military until they happened to find some of his war medals around the house. They were surprised to learn their father had not only flown in missions over Japan, he had also earned an Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

The last years of Ed's life were spent tied to an oxygen machine, but he was still out and about.

He didn't particularly like to be in that situation, but he kept trying, Ted said.

Medication and old age led to some confusion for Ed, but he always remembered theater people.

The day before he passed away, Ed was moved into a hospital room with another patient and, as was often the case for Ed, Nebraska sports came up.

Sandy Thompson, who costarred with Ed in several productions, related the story.

The other gentleman said, My son used to play basketball at Creighton Prep. He wasn't any big star or anything like that. You wouldn't know who he is, but his name is Rob Williamson,' Thompson said.

Ed had a hard time with names near the end, but that name sparked his memory. A Rob Williamson had worked at the theater years ago when he was dating the woman who would later become his wife.

Ed spoke up, Well, yeah, I wouldn't know unless it was the Rob Williamson who was married to Jan Rowley, Thompson said. And it was. That shows where his heart was. He always remembered the theater.

Ed passed away a month short of his 84th birthday, 60th wedding anniversary and Bellevue Little Theatre's 40th anniversary celebration.

Ed's time on earth ended where his love life began at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Omaha, where he and Bette met as choir members more than 60 years ago and have attended ever since.

For his funeral last Thursday, the church was packed with friends, family, actors, musicians, church members and others Ed touched throughout his life.

In addition to his wife, Bette, Ed is survived by his daughters, Chris E. Swanson of Omaha, Jan and husband Steve Gabrial of Papillion, sons, Eric A. Ric and wife Tammi of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Martin E. Marty and wife Collen of Bellevue; sister, Luella Susie and husband John Forrest of California, brother, Emil Ted and wife Jeri Swanson of Omaha; grandchildren, Amanda Gard, Brian Gabrial and wife Jenna, Kari and Christopher Gabrial, Nicholas and Samantha Swanson, Sean Swanson; and many nieces and nephews.