Feb. 18—Ed Haney of Mentor, who for more than 30 years portrayed 20th U.S President James A Garfield, died on Feb. 14

The 90-year-old left many fond memories behind.

“He was a storyteller his entire life, telling ghost stories and humorous tales around the campfire and at numerous family and church gatherings,” recalled his daughter, Vivian Sarkis, in town from her home in Atlanta to make funeral arrangements.

He began his role as Garfield in the late 1980s when asked to portray him at a fundraiser, later sharpening his expertise as an interpreter when the U.S. Park Service took over what then became the James A. Garfield National Historic Site.

“It was something he loved to do,” recalled his daughter.

Before that he had acted and directed plays in several community theaters, including Rabbit Run and the Willoughby School of Fine Arts.

Descendants of 20th U.S. President James A. Garfield often deferred to Haney when asked about their famous ancestor.

“Ed knew more about the Garfield family than any of us,” said Tim Garfield, great-great-grandson of the president.

He recalled the time in 1990 when Haney, in the role of Garfield, met a group of Garfield descendants gathering for a reunion at the door of Lawnfield, by which the Historic Site in Mentor was affectionately known.

“He boomed out ‘Welcome to my home,” Tim Garfield recalled. “They were stunned silent because he looked so much like the president.”

Tim Garfield, who now lives in Twinsburg, grew up in Mentor and worked closely with Haney and Debbie Weinkamer, who portrays Lucretia Garfield, in making sure his ancestor is remembered.

“Ed and Debbie had a sincere interest and great love for the topic,” he said.

Weinkamer was recruited by Haney to play Lucretia Garfield when he was asked about his wife during re-enactments.

“Ed and I began appearing as the Garfields together at an ice cream social at Lawnfield in July 2001,” she recalled. “His last performance was as General Garfield with me as Lucretia, in a 2018 program entitled ‘Letters from the Front.”

They read the Garfields’ Civil War-era letters back and forth for the Solon Historical Society, she said about that event.

Haney also founded “We Made History,” a local troupe of first-person re-enactors who will be on hand from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 19 for Presidents Day at the Historic Site, 8095 Mentor Ave.

Dale Fellows will be there as George Washington, a role he’s now played for 11 years as part of “We Made History.”

He remembers Haney as being very positive and encouraging as he asked re-enactors to step out of their comfort zone.

“He always reminded us to really get to know the person we were portraying rather than just memorize facts about them,” Fellows said. “There are so many myths about George Washington and I had never done any acting so it was quite a leap for me.”

Weinkamer recalls these tips passed on to re-enactors from Ed Haney:

—If some of your audience is sleeping, talk to the ones who are awake.

—Don’t drink cola (makes you burp) or coffee (makes you hot and have to go to the bathroom) before a performance.

—Heightened nerves before a performance keep you focused.

A memorial service for Haney will be March 8 at Kirtland Christian Fellowship, 10001 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland. Visitation with the family will be at 10 a.m. followed by the service at 11 a.m.