The inventor of the modern-day Frisbee may be gone, but his spirit — and his ashes — will continue to fly high into the great blue yonder.

“Steady” Ed Headrick, died in his sleep early Monday, August 12, 2002, at his home in La Selva Beach. He was 78.

No services were planned, but there was an open house and a party to celebrate his life.

Headrick, who had high blood pressure, had suffered two strokes while attending the Professional Disc Golf Association 2002 Amateur World Championships in Miami.

The strokes left him paralyzed on his left side and weak on the right. Still, he had remained in high spirits — even signing autographs on Frisbees from his bed at a Miami hospital. He returned home to California Aug. 6 after doctors determined that physical therapy would not aid his recovery and that his condition would continue to deteriorate.

Headrick’s ashes are molded into a limited number of memorial flying discs. A memorial fund has been be created by the family that was used to establish and found “The Ed Headrick Memorial Museum”.

“The Ed Headrick Memorial Museum”, is home to the Disc Golf Hall of Fame, and showcases many historical items from the early days of our sport.

We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion — ‘Frisbyterians,’ we’d call ourselves. When we die, we don’t go to purgatory. We just land up on the roof and lay there.

 

 

PDGA: #001
BORN: June 28, 1924, South Pasadena. California
DIED: Aug. 12, 2002, in La Selva Beach. California
OCCUPATION: Handsome and humble, inventor, entrepreneur.

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