Ed passed away on his birthday where he was living in an assisted living home – Manor on the Hill. Family was over during the day to celebrate his birthday and in the evening he passed. He had a gradual decline in the past few years as his heart became weaker and weaker. Ed was born on December 21st 1927 in Framingham Massachusetts to Grace and Joe Stefaniak. He was married to Loretta Helen Siemianowski in 1951 (who passed in 2012) and is survived by his sons Tom and his wife Wanda of Hendersonville, TN, Bill and his wife Diane of Leominster, Gary and his wife Susan of Houston, TX and Danny of Clinton, 5 grandchildren, David, Erik, Angela, Lauren and Robert and one great grandchild, Caeden. He was also the brother of the late Joseph Stefaniak and is survived by several nieces and nephews. In 1929 the Stefaniak family moved to Newton Massachusetts where Ed lived with his parents and older brother Joe. When Ed was 16 years old his father passed away which was very difficult. He graduated Newton High School and joined the Army Air Force towards the end of World War II for an 18 month enlistment. As part of the GI Bill, he attended MIT and graduated with a Civil Engineer degree. While he was in the Army Air Force his friend Bud Stickney from High School was also enlisted in the Army Air Force and was dating a girl in Chicago. Her friend was Loretta and they started dating in a long-distance relationship. After Ed graduated MIT they were married in 1951 and he moved to Chicago to be with her and work. After a few years and after Tom and Bill were born, they moved to Massachusetts. Gary and Danny were born here. Every weekend Ed and Loretta went out with their friends Bud Stickney and his wife Marge. They were lifelong friends and lived nearby. Ed was very active and a proponent for the mentally disabled. Danny was mentally retarded and Ed and Loretta made sure he was home every weekend. Ed was active in the Fernald League, Voice of the Retarded, and COFAR. Every time changes were made to Danny's care from the state, Ed was on top of it and made sure the proper level of care was made not only for his son, but for all of the children in the states care. He tirelessly documented and worked for this cause well into his 80s and will surely be missed. A visitation for Ed will be held on Saturday, December 30th from 8:30 to 9:45 am at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 am in Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord Center. Burial, with military honors, will follow at St. Bernard's Cemetery in Concord. Concord's Town Flag will fly at half-staff on Saturday, December 30th in recognition of Ed's honorable military service to his country. Donations in his memory may be made to C.O.F.A.R., 3 Hodges St., Mansfield, MA 02048 or at www.cofar.org. Arrangements are under the care of the Dee Funeral Home of Concord.