Edward Ernest Yurkovich

Summing up the life of Edward “Eddie” Yurkovich in so few words is an impossible task. He loved his friends and family largely and selflessly, but his wife Linda was the love of his life. Although he was always quick to poke and tease her, there was no doubt of his devotion and passion that he had for her throughout their entire marriage.

Ed was born January 20, 1951, and raised in the Pittsburgh area, to Edward and Julia DiDomenico Yurkovich, where he was always quick to tell stories of his youth in Catholic School and “Sister Mary Pain”. Even at a young age, he had a deep sense of integrity and hard work, running a paper route and keeping his word. He believed that all things came through hard work and commitment and that a man was only as good as his word. A beautiful lesson that he passed on to his grandchildren. He worked with two oil companies in the Pittsburgh area and finally moved west to New Mexico, after the birth of his second grandson. Where he opened "Ed's Alternator & Repair Shop", and later "Ed's Welding".

Although New Mexico was far different from what he had always known, he built a family, friends, and community quickly. He enjoyed many groups of people between his era of restoring cars, his constant joy for guns and westerns, and his professional welding experience. Ed never knew a stranger and could tell you the name of everyone at “Geli’s” after a quick walk around the restaurant. He never had a bad word to say about anyone, and no one could speak ill of him. He was always available to anyone who needed him, whether he was welding for the gun club, lending a trailer to a friend, fixing cars for his family, or showing up to so many soccer, baseball, volleyball, or football games for his grandkids and great-grandkids.

His friends and family will miss his constant ability to find a joke in every situation and never knowing if he was “pulling your leg” or not. The life that Ed lived will last for generations, as those who knew him best will share “Ed” stories and all of the things they never expected to come out of his mouth to their kids and grandkids.

Throughout his life, he never lost his childlike wonder and questioning. He was happy to pass on whatever knowledge he had but was always just as eager to learn more. In the last few years of his life, he found a deep, genuine relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his thirst to know more continued to abound (even if he couldn’t remember what he had just learned). Immediately after his passing, those who called and checked in with the family said the same thing, “There is no doubt in my mind that we will see him again.”

Ed is preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Julia Yurkovich, and I'm sure they welcomed him with open arms.  

Those left behind to cherish his memory and "Ed" stories are his beloved wife Linda, daughters Kelly Lynn (Mike) Sistok, Julie Yurkovich, his son Eddie Yurkovich.  Ed's grandsons, Clark Cunningham, Kelsey Cunningham and Connor Mallory, and his granddaughter Michaela (Ryan) Balderrama. He also leaves behind two very active great-grandsons, Beau and Nathaniel "Bean" Balderrama, who were just beginning to appreciate and have fun with "Pap". And last but not least, Ed leaves behind his treasured siblings, Judy & Ron Schramm, Evelyn "Bunny" Hamilton, Suzy & Dave Levinger and Bobby & Helene Yurkovich and their sons Robert & Steven Yurkovich.

He lived his life boldly, loudly, selflessly, and with quite a bit of an ornery nature but his family and friends have now found peace in the fact that this isn’t the end of Eddie but only the beginning of an eternal life with Jesus. He is there now, laughing and fully enjoying the presence of God Almighty. He beat us all there; however, this isn’t goodbye, but “see you soon.”

Please come share your "Ed" stories with the family and "have dinner on Ed", Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Geli's Restaurant, 1400 W. 2nd St, Roswell.  It will be a come and go, from 3:30 to 6 pm.  The family would love to hear your stories of how Ed impacted your life.