Eddie Roth

When reflecting on the life of Edward “Eddie” Roth, it is easy to see both his unwavering strength and his unconditional love for his family. Eddie was broad-minded yet focused, and strove to succeed in all that he put his mind to. Eddie’s primary focus in life was fostering deep and personal relationships with those around him, and even in the simplest of moments, he loved to reminisce about the treasured memories he made. He was well known for his curious and ambitious spirit, like trying to learn French while on a train to France. Service came naturally to him, but even when it wasn’t comfortable or convenient, he still gave of himself freely. His generosity was limitless. Dearly loved, Eddie will be forever missed by those who knew him best.

The 1990s were a vibrant time in America. With the emergence of the world wide web in the early part of the decade, the way we lived our everyday lives was rapidly changing as never before. Car phones paved the way for cell phones, and computers had made their way from the workplace and the classroom into the home of nearly every American across the nation. It was during this exciting time that Edward III and Karen (Pearson) Roth were pleased to welcome the birth of the baby boy they named Edward on September 5, 1996, in Suffern, New York.

Growing up, Eddie was a typical young man of his generation in many ways. He was raised alongside his sister, Heather. Eddie’s father, who works for Western Michigan University, often gave lectures and taught overseas. When he traveled, the entire family got to come along and enjoy the sites together. Eddie fell in love with traveling at a young age. He was able to immerse himself in different cultures and loved experiencing all of the food, music, and art. Still, what he loved the most was all the different people that he met along the way. At the age of six, Eddie went onstage and danced at a flamenco concert in Madrid. He also enjoyed art museums in Spain and learning to surf on the Gold Coast of Australia when he was just nine years old.

Eddie attended and was a 2014 alumnus of Kalamazoo Central High School where he balanced his coursework with several extracurricular activities. He was an outstanding competitive swimmer and excelled in the pool as a varsity letter winner and valuable member for all four years on the Kalamazoo Central High School swim team. He also played in the marching band as section leader of the drum-line. In more recent years, Eddie had been taking courses at Lansing Community College and was accepted to study finance at Grand Valley State University in the Fall of 2023.

Eddie was an entrepreneur from childhood and dove headfirst into the business world where his analytical mind served him well. He learned to fix cell phones at the age of ten, then later did so for a phone company while living in Ann Arbor. Eddie had a side business of buying and reselling online. He was just so clever. He enjoyed coming up with new businesses and was committed to the idea of using his entrepreneurial spirit and knowledge of finance to help others after graduating from college.

All who knew Eddie can surely agree, that of all the things he loved in life, he treasured his family above all else. He was always the most relaxed when going on family camping trips in northern Michigan (so long as the black flies weren’t around to bother him!). Eddie adored his sister, Heather. And though she didn’t like FaceTime, this gave Eddie the perfect reason to FaceTime her regularly and have long talks. Eddie was fiercely proud of Heather and bragged about her to anyone who would listen. As the oldest, he adored all of his younger cousins. Eddie was the heartbeat of every family event, and he could usually be found playing with his little cousins. He was always the happiest when surrounded by his loved ones.

Eddie was so curious and pursued many interests in his free time. Recently, he had taken up and enjoyed practicing the art of calligraphy. He took glass blowing classes and loved mini golf (not). He was a talented musician and loved playing the guitar. He nailed the opening to Johnny B. Goode just from watching YouTube. He enjoyed keeping himself fit by working out at the gym and doing yoga with his parents. Eddie traveled with his family just last year, where he was able to take in the art he so loved at the Louvre, was very specific about his pose in front of Notre Dame, and climbed all the way to the second deck of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He marveled at the moon on a nighttime gondola ride in Venice, and cheerfully took on the challenge of eating gelato in each of the five towns of the Cinque Terre in a single day. He enjoyed hiking, could lay on the beach for hours, dove into the Mediterranean off a cliff in Riomaggiore, Italy, and loved long talks over coffee. He enjoyed listening to rap and R&B music, and liked watching stand-up comedians on Netflix. Eddie was a fan of scary movies and television shows such as the Walking Dead. And although he watched the Vampire Diaries, he would never admit that to anyone but his sister. Being born in New York, Eddie loved New York style pizza, massages from his mother, and giving the best hugs. And did he ever give the biggest and best hugs!

As family and friends can certainly attest, Eddie truly understood the secret to a life well lived. He was a constant source of strength, even in the most difficult of times, and he was always so encouraging to everyone he ever met. Nothing brought Eddie greater joy than spending time with those he loved. A friend to many, his insatiable zest for life allowed him to touch the hearts of countless others. Though he will be deeply missed, Eddie leaves behind a priceless legacy that his loved ones will be proud to carry on in his footsteps.

Edward Roth IV, of Kalamazoo, age 26, died on March 31, 2023. Eddie’s family includes his parents, Edward III and Karen (Pearson) Roth, and his sister, Heather. He is deeply loved by his grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. Please join us at a Life Story Visitation where food, drinks, and stories will be shared on Tuesday (APR 11) from 5-7 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo 269-375-2900. A Life Story Funeral will be held Wednesday (APR 12) at 11 AM at the funeral home with a reception to follow in the Life Story Center. Visit Eddie’s webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com to archive favorite memories, photos, and sign his guestbook.

Eddie simply loved helping the people he came into contact with. Often times, it was the basic but essential needs; meals, a little money, rides, or encouragement. For those looking to give in more formal ways, please consider the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan or Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes.