Edwin "Ed" Shaufler III, 98, died on November 20, 2020. Ed started his first enterprise at the age of 19, a small chain of drive-in restaurants. Ed briefly served as a police officer in Wichita before returning to Washburn University to complete his undergraduate studies, followed by graduate school at the University of Kansas in social work. Ed relocated to the San Francisco Bay area where he worked as a social worker and psychotherapist for the State of California. Being gay in Kansas in early adulthood was not easy, but Ed finally reconciled to be himself when he moved to California and from there he blossomed.



Ed quickly returned to his entrepreneurial roots and began investing in real estate. Together with his long-time and trusted business partner, Al Martinskis, they built an impressive commercial real estate business over many decades. Eventually Ed relocated to Denver where he expanded his real estate business before moving to Paradise Valley, Arizona for the love of his life, Mark Bowland. Together Ed and Mark built a life in Arizona with many friends and fulfilling real estate projects. They were dedicated patrons of the arts, loved visiting the botanical gardens in Phoenix and traveled the world together.



Things changed dramatically for Ed in 2010 when Mark died accidentally, but he picked up and carried on with the help of his close-knit group of friends. After Mark Bowland died, Ed and his friend Paul Anderson established the Mark Bowland Leadership Fund, the first LGBTQ-focused scholarship program at ASU (Mark's alma mater). Over the years, Ed and Paul have funded 11 Bowland scholars at ASU who have demonstrated leadership skills and academic success. Ed was very proud of this program, and relished interviewing the finalists each year.

Ed is survived by several cousins across the country and close friends from coast to coast. If you'd like to attend Ed's Zoom service on January 19th, please email shauflerzoom@gmail.com and we will send you a link. (Source: Arizona Republic)