Edward Blaine Obituary

Blaine, Edward Homer

Blaine, Edward Homer, an All-American and professional football player who left the game at the peak of his football career to become a successful research scientist, died in St. Louis on March 22 after a short illness. He was 86.

Blaine researched kidney function and its connection to cardiovascular disease. After finishing his doctorate at the University of Missouri, he moved with his family to the Flory Institute in Australia and then the University of Pittsburgh. He shifted into industry at Merck near Philadelphia in the 1980s. He later managed a partnership between Washington University in St. Louis and G.D. Searle Co. before he returned to Mizzou in the early 1990s as the director of the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. He ended his career where it took off - in the laboratories and classrooms at the University of Missouri where he taught in the medical school in the years before his retirement.

The launch into academics was powered in many ways by his football success. He was a scholarship athlete from Farmington, Missouri, and starred in the team's undefeated 1960 season under Coach Dan Devine. He was named All-American the following year and drafted in the second round, playing in the 1962 championship season for the Packers. He finished his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Blaine was born in Farmington in January 1940, the youngest of four of Tessa Ella and Warren Blaine. Blaine met Susan Cring at the University of Missouri and they married in 1963.

Later, Blaine shared his life with Marilyn Starwalt of Effingham, Ill. The two lived for two decades in Columbia and St. Louis. Marilyn preceded him in death in 2025. She was survived by Kelly Bingman, Steve Starwalt and grandchildren Cole, Renae, Will, and Delaney.

In his last two years, Blaine lived in Cork House at Dolan House Memory Care in St. Louis, where he was surrounded by friendly faces.

Blaine is survived by his brother, Theodore Blaine (Virginia); daughter, Jennifer Hahn (Steve); son, Mark Blaine (Jessica); former wife Susan Hayes; and three grandchildren: Sam Hahn, Ben Hahn and Miranda Blaine. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Blaine and sister Laverne Burris.

Check edblaine.com for more information about Blaine and plans for a celebration of life in June.

As a service of the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, friends may sign the family's on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.