Edmund Data

Edmund Roy Data

1932 - 2019

Edmund Roy Data, 86, died peacefully in his sleep at home on Sunday, March 24th.  His entire family and grandchildren were blessed to spend the prior evening with him in his Wayne residence of 40 years.  

Born in Garfield in 1932, Ed grew up with his parents, sister and three brothers in a home where they raised chickens and owned horses.  Edmund fondly remembered his favorite horse, Babe, who enjoyed eating ice cream right out of a cup.  

Other than his family, Ed's true passion was repairing, restoring, and painting vehicles, particularly cars.  At an early age, he started by often painting his bicycle different colors, as the mood struck him.  

Edmund met his wife, Patricia, in 1951 while driving (in a car) on Route 46 in Pine Brook.  Pulling up beside Patti and her girlfriends, the boys challenged the girls to a drag race.  After "losing" the race, the boys paid the agreed-upon penalty of treating the girls to ice cream at the iconic Milk Barn in Wayne.  When asking Patti for her phone number, Ed didn't bother writing it down, but forever committed it to memory (Prescott-7- 4291).  Pat thought she would never hear from him again, but destiny proved otherwise.  

An army veteran, Ed served in the Korean War at Madigan Army Hospital near Tacoma, Washington from 1952 to 1954.  Not surprisingly, his jobs involved vehicles.  He ran the motor pool and drove an ambulance. Although he witnessed tragedies of war, he made the best of his time by playing baseball and writing daily letters to then-fiancée Pat.  Ed consistently passed inspections.  A fastidious man by nature, Ed guaranteed he would pass with flying colors by secretly keeping a second set of items in his footlocker, all neatly shined, polished, and pressed.  Upon discharge from the service, Ed joined his father in the family business, Englewood Bus Company, where he drove bus routes and maintained the vehicles.  

Edmund and Patricia married in 1955.  For their Honeymoon, Ed bought a 1949 Ford Coupe and fully customized it.  He painted it two-tone pink and black to match Patti's traveling outfit for embarking on their honeymoon to Niagara Falls.  They would eventually raise two daughters in Wayne, both grateful to drive vintage Mustangs fully restored to perfection by Dad.  

In 1961, Edmund left the family bus company to open his own auto body shop in Wayne.  Its original location, "around the corner from the Hi Ho Club" became a familiar refrain, and when the business moved to Lincoln Park, "Hi Ho Auto Body" was born.  His wife joined him in his endeavor, and they built a solid business with a reputation for integrity and quality of work.  

Soon after, Hi Ho added a used car dealership and towing company.  The towing business, in particular, became a source of wild anecdotes. People would get their cars in impossible predicaments: hung over guardrails or dangling off the edge of the road.  When Ed extracted the cars quickly and efficiently, some were amazed.  Others didn't want to pay because the job looked "too easy."  Ed simply replied, "fine, I'll put it back."

In the 1980s, Ed purchased a 1950 Ford Coupe with an identical body to his famous Niagara Falls car.  He customized it and restored it exactly the same as the pink and black honeymoon car, and "My Nifty Fifty" was born.  Pat and Ed began attending car shows and cruise nights.  They became regulars and met dear lifelong friends.  They formed the Nifty Cruisers car club, and traveled the Eastern Seaboard showing cars, laughing with friends, and earning many trophies for Ed's Fifty and Mustangs.  Every Thursday in summer during the 1990s, they organized and ran the famous Jamesway Cruise Night in Pompton Plains featuring hundreds of antique and vintage cars.  

The Data family vacationed summers in Wildwood Crest, and traveled to many sites, including Florida, California, and the Bahamas.  Pat and Ed enjoyed gambling, and spent frequent weekends in Atlantic City playing the slots and seeing a variety of shows.  

Edmund was on the Board of Directors for the North Jersey Auto Body Association for many years, and a long-time member of the Passaic County Police Chiefs Association.  He retired in 2006, after 45 successful years in business.  

Ed will be remembered for his enduring love and fierce loyalty to family, his quiet nature, and his occasional hilarious wit.  He will be missed.

Edmund is survived by Patricia, his joyful wife of 63 years.  Also his devoted daughters Lisa Data and Laura Shamber, along with her husband Randy Shamber and cherished grandchildren, Benjamin and Claire Shamber all of Pompton Plains.  

He is survived by a sister, Eileen Conrad, and niece and nephews, Susan Data-Samtak, Wayne Data, and Robert, Christopher and Timothy Conrad.  

Edmund is predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Helen, siblings Joseph Jr., James, and Richard, and nephews Mark and Warren Data.  

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wayne PBA Local 136, PO Box 3597, Wayne, NJ 07470 would be appreciated.