Ed Usnik
By Kit Zinser (written Nov. 2005)
A kid’s memory isn’t all that accurate, but my recollection of Ed Usnik was that of a tall, muscular handsome man with curly, silver hair, a huge smile and twinkling eyes. After speaking with Joyce Usnik Olsen, his eldest daughter, I wasn’t too far off the mark. She mentioned his dark curly hair.
For those of you who witnessed his expertise at the scorekeeper and timekeeper’s table, you became acquainted with a legend in the world of Washington Panthers!
Ed Usnik brought humor, vigor, and fun into many lives, not to mention his family’s!
John Usnik came to the United States as a young man from Austria and married Rose. John was a miner in Eveleth, Minnesota. Jon and Rose raised three sons and one daughter, Rose, Ed’s sister who still lives in Washington.
Ed was born in Eveleth, Minnesota…God’s country he called it. Wonderful deep cold lakes, perfect for walleye fishing and intensely beautiful woods…great for kids tromping around when there wasn’t much else to do. If you could ask him today, he would probably reply, “Why would you want to do anything else?” Ed (pictured below on right) probably didn’t realize at the time that he would be the catalyst for many Washingtonians finding their nirvana in the lakes and forests of Minnesota.
It will come as no surprise that Ed was a well-rounded athlete himself. He played football, basketball, and hockey in grade school and high school. This could explain his focus and love for the Panther organization. Kids benefitted for years from his expertise and encouragement.
He met and married Mary Alexander June 5, 1937. Just two years’ prior, Ed secured a position with Caterpillar Tractor Company in East Peoria. Ed’s focus wasn’t the coal mines in Minnesota, only the lakes and woods intrigued him.
To say Ed was enterprising was an understatement. He and Mary operated a small grocery store in Pekin, Illinois. Their tidy little home was in the rear of the store. He also worked at Cat in the Tool Bin area. His resume would have read: “Not afraid of long hours and hard work.” Service to his country came next but not as expected.
He was called up and in readying his family for the transition, he and Mary sold the store. He reported to Chicago and the war ended. Turning adversity into good fortune, Ed moved Mary and their two daughters, Joyce and Sharon to Washington. It seems that Mary and Ed, wherever they set up housekeeping, the Romanis were nearby. Ed became involved in sports and kids. He was a fun loving guy and a jokester that even his daughters appreciated. Joyce remembers one time when he was moving her into the dorm at Western. Formality dictated that if there was a stranger (man) in the dorm, the girls were supposed to yell, “Man on the floor.” As Joyce was about to speak, he dad giggled and said, “Joyce, don’t tell!”
Joyce remember what a great couple her parents made. Her dad was a gregarious man who loved the accordion and a good polka! Dancing was not just something his wife prodded him to do, but a way for Ed to get everyone involved in the fun. He was a master at cards and Mae Marshall was a partner of choice in cribbage.
Orv and Julie Marshall could count on Ed as a friend, fellow traveler and to fill in at the bar. Orv and Julie grew to love Eveleth as much as Ed. They spent many weekend and summers fishing, cooking their catch, and enjoying the company of good friends.
Ed was a clever mixologist who kept the cronies around the oval bar entertained with his jokes and stories. When Cat went on strike, Ed donned the white apron, rolled up his sleeves and was welcomed at communication central as an old and valued friend. Sometimes, he worked with Guido Tiezzi at Cilco. Everyone valued Ed’s work ethic and vivacity for life.
He was active in the athletic program and was official scorekeeper and timekeeper for the high school from 1953 until 1973. He developed a long lasting friendship with players and coaches. Generations of coaches were also treated to the experience of the northern woods. Coach Van Scyoc caught his share of walleyes and heat from Ed. His jokes did not stop when he went to Minnesota, work or a game.
In the season of 71 or 72 against University High, Washington was down by one point. There was an electrical malfunction and when the lights came on, Ed showed the Panthers ahead by one. Unfortunately, the other team noticed. Ed laughingly put the score straight again. As an aside, Ed’s mojo must have been powerful because Washington actually beat the opposition in the last second by one point!
Ed made sure his daughters didn’t miss out on any sports event. Mary Orth recalls how Ed, after a long day of work, would pick up a carload of girls in any weather and take them to games. After the game, there was the welcome and requisite stop at Marshall’s for a bite to eat.
In later years, Ed and Mary didn’t slow down. They continued their visits to Minnesota with friends and family. Ed was the type of individual who made sure everyone was having a good time. He probably considered it his own failure if they weren’t.
When Mary went to Rita’s Beauty Salon, Ed took it upon himself to entertain the ladies at the shop. They enjoyed the attention and sometimes Mary just wanted to get home and cook. However, Ed left everyone feeling grand. With a bow and sweeping gesture of the right hand, he would open the door and he and Mary would depart…the ladies in the shop feeling as if they had been in the presence of someone special. And they were.
Ed received a certificate of appreciation on May 10, 1993 from Washington High School.
In his retirement, Ed enjoyed his four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Joyce’s son Derek played football at Brown University and if Ed could have arranged it, he might have helped those coaches settle in (as Coach Doty termed Ed’s assistance). Likewise, the University of Wisconsin missed out on Ed’s help…Darlene Olsen played basketball while her granddad beamed!
Washington lost Ed in 1999 at the age of 83. Our loss is someone else’s gain.
**Epilogue—In 2021 Ed was inducted into the Washington Community High School Hall of Fame.