Edward W. Rife, 79, died Aug. 20, 2009, at his home in Morgan Hill. Born May 20, 1930, in Cairo, Ill., to William E. and Mary E. Rife, he served as a pilot in the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in the United States Air Force from 1952 to 1956. He was a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He worked in aerospace engineering at Lockheed at Vandenberg AFB in the 1960s, United Technologies in South San Jose in the late 1970s and again at Lockheed Missiles and Space in Sunnyvale in the 1980s before retiring in 1992 to ride his bicycle across the United States with his wife Joanne, to whom he was married for 55 years.
He greatly enjoyed riding his bicycle on the Coyote Creek Trail between Morgan Hill and San Jose, and annual trips to the Yosemite Valley.
In addition to his wife, survivors include daughter Susan and son-in-law Stephen Kreidler of Sarasota, FL ; son Christopher and daughter-in-law Dorinda of Watertown, MA; son Daniel and daughter-in-law Robin of Bend, OR; six grandchildren, Sarah Cox of San Jose, Christina Cox of Brooklyn, NY, Alexis Rife of Puerto Penasco, Mexico, Erica Rife of Flagstaff, AZ., Aaron Rife and Ethan Rife, both of Bend, OR; a sister, Barbara, and brother-in-law Tom Brashears of Santa Barbara; his mother-in-law, Luella Teasley of Solvang; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Jane Ball.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009, at Johnson Funeral Home in Morgan Hill. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Yosemite Fund, 155 Montgomery St., #1104, San Francisco, Calif. 94104; yosemitefund.org.
