Edward Trandahl

Edward Trandahl, age 83, went to live with God on February 9, 2023. He died of Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Springfield MN, Ed graduated from St. Anne’s High School in Wabasso, MN, and South Dakota State University in Brookings where he earned a Journalism Degree. He loved playing on the high school basketball team and in the band. In college he was editor of the SDSU Collegian and active in the men’s journalism fraternity.

He was drafted while away from college, helping his father with the fall harvest. His main post was Scofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii. When his Battle Group was sent on a 3-month SEATO exercise to alert the Viet Cong, Ed’s Colonel organized a band to perform in small Thai villages. Ed played the tuba and trumpet. He also helped some Thai children with Algebra. On return to Oahu, Ed put out the Scofield Barracks newsletter, Cacti News.

After college Ed worked on newspapers in Huron and Mitchell, SD; Norwood, MN; and Estherville, IA, earning a number of Iowa press awards.

In 1970 Ed joined the Omaha World Herald for seven years as a reporter. He went across the street to UPRR in 1977, as editor of the employee magazine Info where he won awards from the Association of Railroad Editors and the Association of Business Communications.

In 1980 he was named assistant director of public relations, responsible for working with news media in NE, KS, CO, and WY. This included being a liaison at railroad accident sites.

Eventually Ed became UPRR’s director of the nationwide Operation Lifesaver rail safety program which had started at UPRR. His travels expanded to across the country. Programs were developed and put on for highway patrolmen, truck drivers, govt. officials and schoolchildren, etc…

His happiest project was developing the “Sly Fox & Birdie” videos and coloring books, etc… for grade schoolers. “Sly Fox” was always trying something dangerous on railroads and “Birdie” was always telling him why it was dangerous and nagging him to stop.

Ed served on the Omaha Library Board under Mayor Hal Daub during the planning of the South Omaha/Metro Tech Library. He was Advocate of the Year for the Omaha Greater Association for Retarded Citizens in 1977. He also volunteered with the Dundee School PTA and neighborhood association.

Ed’s favorite sport was tennis and he served as president of the Omaha Tennis Assoc. and development director. He was inducted into the Nebraska Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2018, notably for his work on getting clay courts in Omaha.

Ed was preceded in death by brother Arden; sisters, Marilyn, Joanne, Yvonne and Patricia; niece Debbie Szarke; and nephew Joey Kuehn. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sandy; daughters, Carmen and Kristin Trandahl; sister Mary Kuehn; sisters-in-law, Sylvia Trandahl and Dianne Rhode Szarke; brothers-in-law, Marlin Kuehn and Jim Szarke; and 33 nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, May 3rd at 11:00AM at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church (62nd and Dodge Streets).