Edward “Ned” Lewis Rand, age 76, died at home in the company of his family on Monday, October 7, 2013 after courageously battling cancer.Ned was born March 18, 1937 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Willis Ludwig Rand and May Weinberg Rand. Ned spent most of his childhood in Atlanta and graduated from Northside High School in 1956. He went on to graduate from Auburn University in 1960 with a Bachelor of Industrial Management. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. While at Auburn, Ned met his wife, Ann, and they were married in April of 1962.

Ned served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and U.S. Army Reserve for eight years, from 1955 until receiving an honorable discharge in 1963. Ned started his career in 1960 with The Ohio Brass Company in Mansfield, Ohio where he spent four years. He then went to work for Honeywell in Nashville, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh. In 1975 Ned returned to Atlanta to join E.W. Klein and Company where he spent the rest of his career, retiring as President of the company in 2002.

Ned always found time to spend with his wife, children and grandchildren. His love of the outdoors was evident in all that he did, particularly as Scoutmaster of Troop 87 in Roswell, GA. After retiring from E.W. Klein and Company, Ned and Ann retired to Blue Ridge, Georgia. In Blue Ridge, Ned was heavily involved with Faith Presbyterian Church, Boy Scouts of America where he served as District Commissioner for the Mountain District of the Northeast Georgia Council, Trout Unlimited, and the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association. He also was instrumental in starting the Blue Ridge Mountain Photographers Guild.

Ned is survived by his wife Ann Harris Rand, his son Edward “Ned” Lewis Rand, Jr. and wife Anne of Birmingham, AL, daughter Robin Rand Servine and husband Dirk of Charlottesville, VA, his daughter-in-law Lissa Rutland Rand of Newnan, GA, and his sister Jane Rand Breunig and her husband Frank of Maryville, TN. He was preceded in death by his son Christopher “Chris” Stewart Rand. Other survivors include his eight grandchildren, Elizabeth Rose Rand, MaryRutland Harris Rand, Christopher Stewart Rand, Jr., Molly Logan Servine, Sarah Ann Servine, Jane Rand Servine, Lewis Everett Rand, Lillian Litton Rand, and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Blue Ridge United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 19 at 11:00 a.m. in Blue Ridge, Georgia, with a reception following at Faith Presbyterian Church in. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to Faith Presbyterian Church USA (P.O. Box 2668, Blue Ridge, GA 30513) or Northeast GA Boy Scouts of America, Mountain District (P.O. Box 399, Jefferson, GA 30549). Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge is in charge of arrangements.