Ralph Edward (Ed) Cogdell

Ralph Edward (Ed) Cogdell, 75, of Lawrenceville, passed away Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at MeSun Health Center. Ed was born on October 7, 1949, in Greeneville, Tennessee, and he graduated from Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee. Following high school graduation, Ed was drafted and served with honor in the Vietnam War as a member of the “Big Red One,” the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S Army. Upon returning to civilian life, Ed matriculated into Georgia State University before embarking on a career in retail and sales, which he retired from gleefully in 2016 to be a full-time Pops. Ed was a loving, devoted husband, father, and grandfather who gave great hugs and had a wonderful laugh.

Ed was a homebody and a voracious reader. He had the unique ability to read while watching TV and somehow was able to follow both. He loved watching Jeopardy and was a late-in-life convert to the Glory of the University of Georgia Bulldogs. His conversion took place in the student section on his 51st birthday as the Dawgs defeated the University of Tennessee (his first love). Watching as the students tore down the goalposts (the first and only time that had happened in school history), it was a clear sign to reconsider his lifelong allegiance to the vile orange. The way Ed was welcomed to the Red and Black is the way he welcomed every new person into his home with a hug and told them that the first time you are a stranger, but then you are family. He was warm, loving, friendly, and had a superb sense of humor.

Ed is survived by his wife of 54 years Jeri M. Cogdell, who was by his side when he passed peacefully, and a sister and brother-in-law, Peggy and Wayne Shoun of Huntersville, NC. Additionally, he is survived by a son and his partner, David Cogdell and Jessica Woodside; a daughter and son-in-law, Anna and James D’Andrea; a former daughter-in-law and her wife, Michelle Cogdell and Amy Placek; three grandchildren: Amelia Cogdell, Bastian Cogdell, and J.J. D’Andrea; and two bonus grandchildren: Addison Placek and Kylie Placek.

He was the son of Ralph Junior and Betty Jean Cogdell, who both preceded him in death.

The funeral service will be held at Wages and Sons Funeral Home located at 1031 Lawrenceville Hwy, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 2 pm until 3 pm with visitation preceding the service starting at 1 pm.

As a proud hillbilly from East Tennessee, Ed adored Dolly Parton. With that adoration in mind and his love of the written word, the family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Ralph Edward Cogdell to Dolly’s Imagination Library at https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com

Honorary pallbearers will be Hans Dreger, Carl Dreger, Wayne Shoun, and Larry Neely.

Following the service, the family will receive friends. Details of the reception will be provided at the service.