Edward A. Sawyer was the second-borne of three children to Alexander Cornelius Sawyer and Victoria Kenerson Sawyer.
Edward attended McDonough 24 elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Both he and his older sister were enrolled in piano lessons by their mother. Through music, Edward developed an interest in playing the trumpet.

From elementary school, he enrolled in a private high school named Gilbert Academy.  Because of his skill in playing the trumpet, he was able to join the Gilbert Academy school band.  Among his classmates in the band were Ellis Marsalis and Andrew Young.  This was a unique high school in the 1940s that exposed their students to self-enhancing experiences; and the students of Gilbert Academy developed such a bond that they had reunions every two years until 2009.

After graduating from Gilbert, Edward received a music scholarship to attend Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  His high school band teacher also got a job as band director of the Southern University Marching Band.  During college Edward majored in music, joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and the Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

With his ROTC training, Edward joined the Army after college.  He was placed in the Surface to Air Division, where he stayed for 15 years. He also joined the Army band for 8 years until he retired as Major.

While in the Army, he met and married his wife, Alta, and raised a son.  They had a wonderful marriage of 34 years until her passing in 1995.
During his army career, he developed an interest in tennis, golf, board and card games (particularly, cribbage, bridge, and poker).  Upon retirement from the Army, Edward became passionate about golf.  Through all these pursuits, he developed many friendships which lasted for the rest of his life, and he always felt he had lived a good life.

Edward is preceded in death by is wife, Alta, niece, Cheryl Joseph-Oyelisi, and sister Elmenia Sawyer Joseph. He is survived by his son, Alex, sister, Melissia, granddaughters, Alexis and Kylie, and nieces and nephews, Diane, Sherman, Victoria, DevRene, Christopher, Jared, Coryn, Jennifer, Sade, and Segun.  He also leaves behind a host of relatives and friends.