TITANIC IMPACT

Renenbering Ed Kamuda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had been dreaming of visiting this humble little jewelry shop in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, for many, many years.  You might say it was on my "bucket list."  Here I was, standing with my daughter at the entrance to Henry's Jewelers.  I wondered, as I pushed through the door, if I would meet Ed Kamuda, founder and president of the Titanic Historical Society.  There he was, working behind the counter.  He said hello, and I explained that we had come to visit the THS museum, located in the back of his store.  He seemed to be a shy man of few words, as he continued his work, while I yammered to his assistant about my lifelong obsession with Titanic.  My daughter was not impressed with the small room of artifacts.  "Mom," she muttered, "your collection is better than this!"  "Ah," I replied, "but there's a distinct difference, because his is all real, and mine are merely reproductions!"  We stayed awhile as I savored the opportunity to examine each piece of the collection.  Well I knew that there was more to it, but warehoused for lack of space.  My daughter decided to go wait in the truck.  She was not as enthusiastic about our little field trip as I was.  Soon I decided it was time to leave, but I lingered over the souvenirs available in the display case.  I chose a book and some other little trinkets, and I was taken with a pewter charm which represented the tombstone of the "Tomb of the Unknown Child" (which we now know contains the remains of Sidney Goodwin.)  I asked about the price of the pewter and to my surprise, Ed said I could have it as a gift.  I was taken aback by his kindness and thanked him very much!  It remains a treasured piece in my collection.

 

Ed Kamuda passed away on my 60th birthday, Sunday, April 13, 2014, just two days shy of the 102nd anniversary of Titanic's sinking.  He will be buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, just a couple of hours before I begin my lecture at the Dr. Phillips (Southwest) Library in Orlando, FL.  I will be dedicating my upcoming programs to Ed, and will keep Karen and the rest of Ed's family and friends close to my heart.

 

Ed was born in 1939.  His lifelong interest in Titanic spurred him into contacting as many of the survivors as he could find, to interview them and hear their first hand accounts of the Titanic disaster.  With a handful of friends, he founded Titanic Historical Society in 1963.  He watched it grow as membership numbered into the thousands, and published the finest quarterly magazine on Titanic history.  Among his admirers was James Cameron, who quizzed Ed on every detail of the great ship as he prepared to make his blockbuster film.  And he rewarded Ed and Karen with a cameo role in the movie.  Ed was thrilled to be walking the decks of a scale model of the ship he devoted his life to.  Upon arriving on set in full Edwardian costume, Cameron called Ed and Karen to the deck where all the actors and crewmen had been gathered, and James Cameron pointed to Ed and told everyone that if not for Ed Kamuda, none of them would be there to make this movie about Titanic.  I'm sure that moment rates as one of the proudest moments of Ed's life!

 

THS also worked very closely in helping Dr. Robert Ballard locate the wreckage of Titanic.  Ed also joined Dr. Ballard in speaking out against salvage of the debris field, considering it a grave site.

 

Last year, Ed and the THS presented Oak Grove Cemetery with a monument dedicated to Titanic and the local folks who were on Titanic when she sank.  This year, a walkway was to be dedicated around that monument.  Ed will be buried close by.

 

I will always remember Ed with fond memories.  Thank you, Ed, for all you've done for those of us who also love and respect the history of Titanic as you did.