Edward "Eddie" Toomer

Edward Spottswood Toomer Jr. passed into eternal life on Monday, July 22, 2024, at the age of 80. He died peacefully at home in St. Martin, Mississippi. “Eddie” was born on November 22, 1943, in Mobile, Alabama, the first of the eight children of Edward and Augusta Toomer. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Parish in D’Iberville. His fellow parishioners will miss him and will remember him fondly for his faith, wit, and wisdom.

Ed attended Notre Dame High School in Biloxi, where he played the coronet in the band. After high school, he entered the Jesuit seminary. While a seminarian, he taught at Jesuit High School in New Orleans and attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, where he performed in Shakespeare plays with other seminarians. After leaving the Jesuits, he received a masters degree in Washington, DC. He was fluent in Spanish, was an avid history buff, a lover of classical music and hymns, and very recently a pickle ball player.

All his life, Ed enjoyed singing and composing songs and poetry. He was talented at entertaining friends and family with his harmonica and humorous skits, at performing a wide variety of poems and songs, and at telling stories of the saints.

Ed was married to Maria Carmen and they lived in Washington D.C., where Ed became a tour guide specializing in leading tours in Spanish. After they were both retired, they spent half of each year together in Carmen’s native Uruguay, where they owned a home and spent time with her large extended family.

Ed was preceded in death by his wife, Maria Carmen; by his parents, Ed and Augusta Toomer; and by his sisters, Rosie Denton and Peggie Craddock. He is survived by his sisters, Ann Sullivan (Vincent), Francie Wallace, Sarah Hinojosa (Juan), Martha Smith (Loring John), and Theresa Burgess (Tim). We are grateful that our brother is now at peace. Blessed be God!

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made to Advocates For Freedom in his memory. You may mail donations to P.O. Box 2497, Gulfport, MS 39505 or visit their website at affstopht.org

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2024 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Friends are invited to visit one hour prior. Interment will follow at D'Iberville Memorial Park. 

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Edward Spottswood Toomer Jr.