EDWIN JEROME REUBEN Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ed, as he liked to be called, dropped out of high school to fight for his country as a seagoing Marine. After the war, Ed always worked for himself, mostly in sales and then later as a home builder. His building business was prospering until he was approached on a "shady" deal and passed on it. Those "in" on the deal worried he would tell and turned against him and put him out of business. But he was not a quitter and recreated himself as a writer and community organizer. He founded The Idealists an organization for people and business with integrity and became an ebullient host to gatherings where good people could meet each other for fun and meaningful conversation. He wrote positive uplifting Idealist newsletters and led a successful campaign against the local phone company who was trying to triple the cost of local calls through measured service. Ed worked on The Golden Medina, Man Among Men, and King Octopus trilogy for 15 years with his companion Ila Westerkamp, who also became a part of the family.

Ed died in March 1988.