Edward Abbey Height, Age, Wife, Family, Cause of Death

Edward Abbey (born on 29 January 1927) was an American Famous novelist, essayist, and a great author. He loves traveling and nature.

From 1950 to 1960 Edward worked as a seasonal park ranger and fire lookout.

In this article, we will read Edward Abbey biography and will know how he got famous and what made him great.

Who is Edward Abbey?

Edward Abbey was a writer from America who really liked nature. He enjoyed going to different places and writing about how beautiful they were.

During his life, Edward wrote lots of novels, books, biographies, and quotes. He also worked as a Military Officer in Italy for two years.

But then, he decided to stop working there and focus on writing. Edward Abbey was a very nice and friendly person.

Unfortunately, he had been dealing with some health problems for a long time.

The article will discuss these health issues in more detail, which are mentioned below.

Edward Abbey Age

Edward Abbey 62 years old when he passed away on 14 March 1989. This is becayse he was born on 29 January 1927.

He was a fantastic writer known for his novels, books, and essays, which were famous during his lifetime.

Edward Abbey Education

Edward finished high school in his hometown Indiana, Pennsylvania. After that, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in philosophy.

He also pursued a Master of Arts (M.A.) at the University of New Mexico in 1951.

He completed his master’s degree in 1956 and spent time at Stanford University in 1957.

During his college days, he worked as a news editor but unfortunately, he had to stop and leave that job due to some problems.

In 1951, he also had the opportunity to be a Fulbright scholar at Edinburgh University.

Edward Abbey Height and Weight

Edward Abbey stood at a height of 5 feet 8 inches which is equivalent to 172 cm or 1.72 m.

His weight was 71 kg or 156 lbs during his lifetime. At the age of 62, Edward took his last breath surrounded by his family.

Edward Abbey Nationality and Ethnicity

Edward Abbey held American nationality and his ethnicity was White. His ethnic roots were spread across the United States.

Edward Abbey Parents

Edward Abbey was born on 9 January 1927 in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and had parents with distinctive backgrounds.

His father’s name was Mildred Postlewait who had worked as a schoolteacher.

His mother’s name was Paul Revere Abbey and she was a socialist, anarchist, and atheist.

Her commitment to social work always had a significant impact on Edward.

After finishing high school in Indiana, Pennsylvania in 1945, Edward joined the United States Military before turning 18.

Edward Abbey Career

After finishing high school in Indiana, Pennsylvania in 1945, Edward Abbey joined the United States Military before turning 18.

He explored the American Southwest using various means like walking, taking buses, hitchhiking, and even hopping on freight trains.

During these adventures, he started writing about the beauty of the desert, the bare rocks, volcanoes, and the vibrant colors of nature.

Edward served as a Military Officer for two years but decided to leave the job. Before leaving, he had applied for a clerk typist position.

Despite being promoted twice in the military, he chose to return to the United States.

He then joined the University of New Mexico, pursuing a B.A. in philosophy and English in 1951, followed by a master’s degree in philosophy in 1956.

During his college days, Edward worked various small jobs, including being a newspaper reporter and bartending in Taos, New Mexico.

Despite having friends Edward had close relationships with only a few women. Before completing his bachelor’s degree, he married Jean Schmechal, another student at the University of New Mexico.

During his undergraduate years, Edward served as an editor for a newspaper and published an article titled Some Implications of Anarchy.

The article’s cover quotation ironically attributed to Louisa May Alcott, proclaimed that man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.

University officials stopped him, confiscated all copies, and removed Edward from the editorship.

After graduation, Edward and Schmechal moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, where Edward joined Edinburgh University as a Fulbright scholar.

However, during this time, Edward and Schmechal separated, divorced, and ended their marriage.

In 1951, Edward met Rita Deanin, with whom he had an affair. They got married in 1952, making Rita his second wife.

Edward and Rita had two children, Joshua N. Abbey and Aaron Paul Abbey. After completing his master’s degree, Edward spent time at Stanford University in 1957 on a Wallace Stegner Creative Writing Fellowship.

Edward Abbey Wife and Children

Edward Abbey married his first wife Jean Schmeichel. While he was completing his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of New Mexico.

Jean Schmeichel was also a student at the same university.

After finishing their Bachelor’s Degrees Edward and Schmeichel separated and eventually got divorced and the reason for their separation is unknown.

Following this Edward met Rita Deanin and the two had an affair. In 1952, Edward and Rita Deanin got married making Rita his second wife.

Edward had five children from different marriages. He also had another marriage with Clarke Cartwright.

Edward Abbey Novels, Biographies and Quotes

Edward Abbey was a prolific writer and some of his notable novels and biographies include Desert Solitaire, The Brave Cowboy, and The Monkey Wrench Gang.

His books had a positive influence on people and it was his fourth book that threw him to fame.

Edward’s ideal writing skills made publishers including Sierra Club, eagerly anticipate his next works.

Robert Redford, who was also an author wrote to Edward, acknowledging that his work positively influenced many to cherish and fight for the preservation of our natural heritage.

One of Edward’s non-fiction books subtitled A Season in the Wilderness, stands out as a masterpiece in the genre of nature writing and philosophy.

In some of Edward’s memorable statements or quotes, he expressed his discomfort with counter-culture environmentalists stating,

• “Society is like a stew. If you don’t stir it up every once in a while, then a layer of scum floats to the top.”
• “Freedom begins between the ears”
• “A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.”

He also authored non-fiction books are:

• Appalachian Wilderness in 1970
• Slickrock in 1971
• Cactus Country in 1973
• A Season in the Wilderness

Edward Abbey famous books

• The Brave Cowboy in 1956
• Fire On The Mountain in 1962,
• Desert Solitaire in 1968,
• The Monkey Wrench Gang in 1975
• Hayduke Lives in 1990.
• The Monkey Wrench Gang is the most famous book of Edward’s career

Edward Abbey Awards and Achievements

Abbey received numerous awards for his literary contributions. In 1963, he was honored with the Western Heritage Award for Best Novel for his book Fire on the Mountain.

Additionally, in 1987 he received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award among other honors for his impactful work.

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