I first knew Edward L. Counts Jr. as “Dr. Counts”, but he quickly became “Ed”. Not because of a lack of respect for his position or earned title, but because he went from being my professor and committee member to being a mentor and a friend. I never grew tired of listening to his anecdotes on movies, animation, multimedia, and life. His satirical humor was refreshing and one I could relate to. He made me feel intelligent and gifted as he often complimented my artistic and creative abilities and encouraged me to do more.
I will forever cherish the times that I was able to visit with him at home and talk about everything from BMWs to model trains and always find our way back to movies and animations. I would stop and get us a Smoothie King smoothie (his peach) and we would enjoy just rambling on about anything as we drank our smoothies. It was always an enjoyable time as his gentle nature and relaxed conversation would make anyone feel welcome.
I will miss so much about him; his knowledge about making movies and animations, his wisdom on working with and developing students, his willingness to share his knowledge and wisdom, and of course his quirky laugh.
Jeff Beard
