TRAVERSE CITY — Leslie "Ed" Edward Whitesel, 96, passed away peacefully Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Munson Medical Center. Ed grew up in Seattle, Wash., and loved the water and the outdoors, especially steelhead fishing with his dad. As a boy he was a newspaper carrier, a lifeguard, a trumpet player in the Seattle All City Orchestra and a proud Eagle Scout. After graduation from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries, he worked as a biologist for the International Pacific Salmon Commission in British Columbia, where he was involved in the early research on the life cycle of salmon and the sustainable management of the resource.He married Margaret MacLeod of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, in 1941. Ed served as an officer in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific from 1944 to 1946. After World War II he returned to his work with the Salmon Commission. In 1955 he joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska, where he and his family lived on the beach outside of Juneau. When Alaska became a state, he continued his career with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts and California.Shortly after retirement in 1977 he and Marge settled on Whidbey Island in his home state of Washington. During their long retirement they traveled far and wide with fishing boat in tow, often with family or friends tagging along. Ed was at home in a small boat in big water, and he never lost his enthusiasm for all things fish. Fishing with him often involved a biology lesson as well.One particularly memorable family trip involved a week on a houseboat on Shuswap Lake in British Columbia to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church and the Masons. Ed's career as a fisheries biologist and as a fisherman provided lots of material for the stories he loved to tell. In 1999 Ed and Marge moved to Traverse City to be closer to family. After Marge passed away in 2009 Ed lived at Hawthorn Cottage Assisted Living. He often expressed his gratitude for the work and kindness of the staff as well as the friendship of his house mates. Ed is survived by his two daughters, Leslie (John) Peck, of Maple City, and Sally (Leo) Miedler, of Maumee, Ohio; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many other loving family members and friends. A memorial service to celebrate Ed's life will be held Saturday, March 24, at 11 a.m., at Northern Lakes Community Church, 5444 Herkner Road, Traverse City, with lunch following at the church. Memorial contributions may be directed to Northern Lakes Community Church, 5444 Herkner Road, Traverse City, MI 49684 or the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 N. Long Lake Road, Suite D, Traverse City, MI 49684. A guestbook can be found online at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.The family is being served by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.