Obituary: Edgar Joseph Westcott, 77, of Bethlehem and Formerly of Westport

Edgar Joseph Westcott -- designer, entrepreneur, collector, artist, illustrator and lifetime 'car guy' -- succumbed to ALS on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. His strength and courage was evident to the end.

Westcott was born November 17, 1934, in Bay City, Mich., walked into Ford as an enthusiastic 20-year-old with a sketchbook of car designs and was immediately hired into the Mercury Styling Studio.

After penning numerous finned concept cars in the 1950s for Ford, he was drafted and spent two years serving the U.S. Army in Germany. He joined Chrysler to run the Imperial design studio, where he was responsible for classic mid-sixties Imperial, 300 and Newport models.

After Chrysler, he and a number of notable designers moved to Westport to establish design firms on the East Coast. First with John Cuccio at his design studio, then at his own firm, he produced designs for automobiles, trains, helicopters, boats, consumer products and packaging.

Perhaps Westcott's signature work was for the Metroliner train that still transports passengers throughout the Northeast Corridor for Amtrak, originally designed in 1965.

He was a 40-year resident of Westport but most recently resided in Bethlehem with his wife Nancy.

He is survived by his wife Nancy, his six children: Michael Westcott, Mitchell Westcott, Wendy Westcott, Annie MacPhail, Mary Thomajan and Bill Westcott; and 12 grandchildren.

Visitation: There are no calling hours.

Services: 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the Church of the Nativity, 48 East St. Bethlehem.

Memorials: ALS Association

Funeral Home: Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home, Woodbury