We celebrate the life of Elwood "Eggie" F. Egerton on what would have been his 86th birthday. On June 2, 2013, Eggie, of Mohegan Lake, formerly a 30-year resident of Clinton Corners, passed away peacefully at home, sleeping in his bed.

Eggie was born July 9, 1927 on the kitchen table in Croton-on-Hudson to Elwood Clyde Egerton and Irene Alice DeBrockey. On August 26, 1951, he married Patricia E. Styles at St. James Church in Hyde Park, NY. In addition to his wife Patsy, he is survived by his son E. James and his wife, Joan, of Hot Springs, South Dakota; his daughters Tricia of Poughkeepsie and her son, Gareth Phillips, of Felixstowe, United Kingdom; Mary and her daughter Victoria of Mohegan Lake; and Dorothy Kennedy of Highland and her husband Jack.

At the age of 15 Eggie joined the Merchant Marines on the Murmansk run, and then at 16 joined the United States Navy as a Gunner Radioman on a TBF Avenger. He fought in the WWII Battle of Leyte Gulf aboard the USS Kitkun Bay. After his discharge in 1947, Eggie worked as a bull doze operator on the Taconic State Parkway, a lineman for Central Hudson, and in plumbing and heating for Stark Tator Oil Company. In 1964 he joined IBM in East Fishkill as a maintenance man but retired in 1990 as a Senior Tech Associate Engineer. At IBM Eggie developed a reputation for his ability to fix and rebuild complex equipment. During his 26 years there, he also worked in Boca Raton, FL; Kingston, NY and Burlington, VT.

Eggie had a life-long love of trout fishing. He was not a fly fishermen or one prone to catch and release. He fished throughout New York as well as Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. He ate what he caught. When not enjoying trout, he was a steak-and-potatoes man. Anybody who knew Eggie knew that he used salty language. His friends still talk about his favorite colorful expressions which cannot be printed in a family newspaper.

Eggie is loved and proudly remembered by his family – his wife for their enduring 62-year partnership; his children for his humor, common sense and bluntness; and his granddaughter for fishing with her Pop off Chincoteague Island.

In lieu of flowers and because the Ausable River was Eggie's favorite fishing spot, his family asks that those who wish can donate to the Ausable River Association, 1181 Haselton Road, Wilmington, NY 12997 or through their website www.ausableriver.org. Eggie had requested there be no visiting hours or service. His family has honored his last wishes.