Remembering Ed Tinsley

 

“Let Me Tell You a Little Story”

The Lynchburg Museum System lost its longtime volunteer and former board member Ed Tinsley on June 26, 2025. Ed was a regular fixture at the museum on Court Street, faithfully volunteering to meet and greet visitors almost every Sunday afternoon for more than a decade.

Ed loved people, and he could instantly connect with any visitor, staff member, or volunteer while on duty. He loved to tell jokes, sometimes colorful, and stories from his vast life experience over the past 90 years. He joked that the title of his autobiography would be “Let Me Tell You a Little Story…”

Ed served on the museum’s advisory board from 2011 to 2020, including several years as vice chairman. Board and staff always appreciated his wisdom, common sense, and good judgment.

Thank you, Ed. We will miss you.

Memories of Ed
By Doug Harvey, Lynchburg Museum Director, 2005–2017

Not long after I had started at the Lynchburg Museum, Office Manager Ann Scalf came in beaming and said, “I just recruited Ed Tinsley as a volunteer!” I had no idea then what a gift was coming our way. Ed quickly became essential. He built props for exhibits, worked the front desk delighting visitors, served on the Museum Foundation board, wore his top hat and frock coat as Dr. Cabell at Point of Honor, and so much more I can’t list it all.

One of my favorite Ed Tinsley stories is when we needed someone to ring the bell atop the Old Court House as part of a nationwide 150th year commemoration of the surrender of Lee to Grant at Appomattox in 1865. During its historic usage, the bell was rung by someone pulling ropes a floor or two below the bell, and later an electric clapper did the work. In typical Ed fashion, he agreed to ring ours and came in beforehand to plan his attack.

What Ed learned (and taught the rest of us) was that when you ring the bell by hand next to it, the sound almost blows you off the cupola. When the actual event took place, Ed was in perfect position wearing a pair of shooting range ear protectors.