Ed Floyd came to the University of Virginia to do graduate work in mathematics after receiving his bachelor's degree in 1943 from the University of Alabama. Upon completing his doctorate in 1948, he went to Princeton University as an instructor. He returned to Virginia the next year to join the faculty, remaining at the University throughout the rest of his career.

The early years of Ed's career were devoted to research in mathematics. He started as a student of Gordon Whyburn, the head of the department, doing analytic topology. He became interested in groups acting on spaces, which became the dominant theme in his work. In conjunction with Pierre Conner, he created the subject of equivariant cobordism. By the mid-1960's, he had become one of the outstanding topologists in the world.

In 1966, Ed became Robert C. Taylor Professor of Mathematics, and assumed the chairmanship of the mathematics department when Gordon Whyburn retired as head of the department that year due to ill health. Ed led the transition from a small personal department to a larger department in a growing university. His three years as chairman were the beginning of a long career of administration and service at the University.

In 1974, Ed was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and in 1981 was named Vice President and Provost of the University. In 1981, he also received the University of Virginia's highest honor, the Thomas Jefferson Award for contributions to the University. Ed returned to teaching and research in 1986, after his long period in administration.

Ed Floyd was an outstanding research mathematician, an excellent teacher, and a fine administrator, who devoted himself fully to the University of Virginia. Beyond that, however, he was one of the real gentlemen in this world. There will never be enough such men.

Edwin Earl Floyd died on December 9, 1990.