Edward Lee Birckhead Sr., passed peacefully at his home surrounded by those whom he held most dear. Ed owned his company Birckhead Signs and Graphics for 54 years; a pillar of the small business community in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Ed served honorably in Company A, 2nd Battalion, 116th Virginia Army National Guard. Ed was preceded in death by his father, Edward Franklin Birckhead; his mother, Rosa Louis Birckhead; sister, Virginia Webster; brother, Hunter Birckhead; and the first love of his life and mother of his son, Jean Carolyn Birckhead. Ed is survived by his wife, Linda Birckhead; son, Edward Birckhead and his wife, Dena; step daughter, Tammy Sutton and her husband, Donald Sutton III; step daughter, Jenny Hofecker and her partner, Kevin Burgess; grandchildren, Madeline Jean Birckhead, Gabriel Tucker Birckhead, Dylan Jacob Hofecker, and Karley Quinn Sutton; brother, Woodrow Birckhead and his wife, Mary; sister, Shirley Leake; sister, Evelyn Hamidi and her husband, Seyed; brother, John Birckhead; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Scott Leake, Benny and Linda Templeton, and Sandra Brochu-Birckhead. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at Mount Eagle Baptist Church, 2419 Buck Island Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, with the Reverend Sidney Craig officiating. A reception will follow directly after the service and will be held at the church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his memory to Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville VA 22911 www.hopva.org; or to Emily Couric Cancer Center, 1240 Lee Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Friends may send condolences to his family at www.hillandwood.