CNBNews

Edward Newman Banfe passed peacefully on April 8, 2024 at age 79. Born on July 26, 1944, in Philadelphia to Albert Banfe and Helen Stretch, he was raised in Northeast Philadelphia with his brothers and sister. 

He got into trouble a few times as a child. He stole a car around age 9. He secretly started a fire at school but was hailed as a hero for pulling the fire alarm. When he was 12, he ran away from home and hitchhiked to St. Augustine, Florida, before returning home.

He attended multiple high schools but, feeling that his future lay outside the world of academic achievement, he joined the Army in 1962. He served in the 1st Air Cavalry under Lt.Col. Hal Moore (see the book and movie “We Were Soldiers Once … And Young”) and was lucky enough to have less than a year remaining on his enlistment when the 1st Air Cav deployed to Vietnam without him in 1965.  He was always proud of his military service, and was frequently seen wearing his “Proudly Served” hat.

He completed his enlistment at Fort Benning, Georgia, and returned to Philadelphia where he met and married Sheila Rankin, who claims that he was the only guy who was not short to ask her to dance. He also found his vocation which was Sales. He worked for American Data Processing, SCM, and Copi-Quik before starting a company called Dupli-Fax with his brothers and their close friend. 

During his years at Dupli-Fax, Ed befriended thousands of people, and promptly sold them copy machines and other office equipment. He worked with hundreds of junior salespeople and taught them his craft. Through his work in outside sales, he also came to know the location and quality of every Chinese restaurant in the tri-state area. You could tell the best Chinese restaurants because the staff would greet him by name when he arrived and seat him before the other people waiting in line. 

Ed was boisterous and joyful. He felt like the best friend of whomever he happened to be speaking with, whether that person was 2 years old or 102 years old. He seemed to make a friend everywhere he went. In line at a restaurant or on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, he would make new friends with the people ahead of and behind him by the time he reached the front. He loved to celebrate holidays, especially Christmas.  He also once made a pilgrimage to the Holey Land of Punxsutawney to celebrate his beloved Groundhog day.  Ed loved to be surrounded by people, calling out his trademark “hey DAT YOU?” when he found a friend in the crowd.

Among his greatest accomplishments, aside from surviving childhood, are building his company, co-founding the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Mary of the Lakes Roman Catholic Church, and building up the people around him, especially his family.

He is survived by Sheila, his loving wife of 57 years, five beloved children: Edward (Krista), Tara Borrelli (Jason), David, Maureen, and Katrina Dodson (Gregory) and fifteen grandchildren: Andrew, Kevin, Edward, Thomas, Regan, Connor, Graham, Amos, Liam, Asher, Martin, Cassidy, Collette, Laurel, and Callum. He also leaves his brothers Jerry, Albert, Paul, and Peter and sister Regina and dozens of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his daughter Margaret Helen, his brother Thomas, and his parents Albert and Helen.

If he was your friend too, please share a story about him. We would love to hear it.

Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing on Thursday evening, April 11th from 6 to 8 PM at the HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 9 White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights. On Friday morning, April 12th, a viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:45 AM at Christ the King Church, 200 Windsor Ave, Haddonfield. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 AM in the church. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill. 

In lieu of flowers please donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Medford: PO Box 1131 Medford, NJ 08055    https://smlparish.org/st-vincent-de-paul

Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through, McCann-Healey Funeral Home, Gloucester City. Ph: 856-456-1142