Commander (Ret) Edward P. Gaskell, Jr., Passes Away at Age 96

Commander (Ret) Edward P. Gaskell, of New Orleans, Louisiana, passed away on 25 April 2024 at the age of 96. Ed was a retired U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence officer and a NIP member for over thirty years. He also served as the NIP New York Chapter President on two occasions. NIP New York’s current president, Jim Carter, praised Ed for the outstanding work that he did as Carter’s admin officer in Naval Contingency Group 0202 (CG-0202)* that led to the unit receiving the Meritorious Unit Commendation award for its “outstanding and unique” contribution to the intelligence war-gaming program at the Naval War College.   

Ed was born in Port Chester, New York on 22 March 1928 and moved to Paris, France in 1932. He returned to the U.S. in 1940, but continued in French speaking schools, graduating from the Lycee Francais de New York in 1945. He attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York graduating in 1950. From 1950 to 1954, he served as a deck officer on merchant ships for the United States Lines. In 1954, he joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Rankin (AKA-103/LKA-103), as the navigator. After his active-duty, Ed was accepted into the U.S. Naval Reserve Intelligence program and served in various staff positions including Admin officer of the Headquarters Unit, Naval Reserve Intelligence Division 3-1, and finally as Executive Officer of Naval Contingency Group 3-1-9 in 1975. During his time in the Navy, he was awarded the National Defense medal, Expert Pistol Shot medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve medal. His service took him to many foreign countries including Germany, France, Spain, England, Australia, Korea, and Japan.

His professional career started when working for Union Carbide in 1956, as a tech writer and film producer. In 1961, he was hired by Equitable Life Insurance as the Manager of Corporate Relations. While working for Equitable he oversaw the Equitable exhibit at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. In 1985, Ed retired from corporate life to become a financial planner and finally retired to the South in 2012, to be closer to family—first moving to Virginia, then to Baton Rouge, and finally New Orleans.

Ed was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Genevieve. 

He is survived by his son Edward P. Gaskell III (wife Elsa), grandson Edward P. Gaskell IV (Sarah), granddaughter Clare Gaskell (John); daughter Cecile Glendening (husband Bruce), granddaughter Julia Bankert (husband Eric), great-granddaughters Delany and Eve Bankert, granddaughter Anna Glendening; brother-in-law Paul Lamb (wife Natalia); cousins Peter Gaskell (wife Bernadette, three sons and four grandchildren), James P. Gaskell (one son and three grandchildren), Thomas D. Gaskell (wife Shari and one son), and Ken Schall.

Ed was a charter member of the Mills Pond PTA, Navy League, Navy Reserve Officers Association, and the Kings Point Alumni Association. He was a member of the VFW Post 395 in St. James, New York, Greater Baton Rouge Area Military Officers Association, and Baton Rouge Orchid Society. 

He was passionate about his French language ability, experiences there, and always felt he was a part of that culture. He did translation work for the Navy and was proud of his service. He passed on his love of sailing, taking the family on many adventures on his sloop the “Genevieve”. Ed also had a love of British sports cars owning an MG Midget, Triumph TR4 & TR6. He and his son loved working on them, and they participated in rallies & time trials, winning a rally in 1966. Ed enjoyed a good glass of wine and a sip of Calvados. Ed came to appreciate the culture in the South after living much of his life in New York, but always said the food was too spicy.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Funeral Services at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.  A Visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Interment, with military honors, will follow at Louisiana National Cemetery in Zachary.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials in honor of Ed Gaskell to the charity of your choice.

The Gaskell family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Hospice Specialists of Louisiana and his caregivers Eluteria (Terry) Elow-King, Gisele LeBeauf, and Shawander Howard.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of CDR Edward P. Gaskell, Jr., U. S. Navy (Retired), please visit our flower store.

*Naval Contingency Group (CG) 0202 was a highly classified Naval Reserve Intelligence Unit staffed, in large part, with naval officers and enlisted personnel, many of whom had personal and/or professional knowledge and/or experience in foreign areas (China, Russia, Finland, Poland, Germany, France, Laos, Central America); languages (Mandarin, Russian, Finnish, Polish, German, French, Flemish, Serbo-Croatian),; high-speed and very low frequency communications; multi-integrated systems analysis; international maritime operations; and several other esoteric fields and could be made available to provide support to U.S. agencies.

During CG 0202’s brief lifetime, members of the unit served periods of active duty with almost every U.S. intelligence agency and every U.S. uniformed service with the single exception of the Public Health Service.