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Edward M. Gilliland died in Albuquerque on December 30, 2005 after a brief illness. Ed was born November 18, 1957, the fourth of eight children born to Mary Eileen and James B. Gilliland of New Providence, NJ. He attended Our Lady of Peace grammar school, New Providence High School, St. Joseph's University, and Stanford University, where he received his Ph.D. in sociology. His dissertation was an analysis of the structural causes of anti-regime rebellions, both popular rebellions and coup attempts. Ed moved to New Mexico in 1986. He taught sociology at New Mexico State-Las Cruces and UNM-Albuquerque before continuing in academia as a consultant in social research. Ed then worked with the Santa Fe Public School District, before moving to the New Mexico Public Education Department, where he was Director of State Accountability and Evaluation Systems for the past 18 months. Ed's social legacy will be long lasting. In his professional life, Ed's leadership moved the state's educational accountability system forward. He was fully committed to the children of New Mexico, and strove to ensure that each of them would have an equal educational opportunity. Ed was instrumental in forming the New Mexico Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance. In 2003, this group succeeded in getting hate crimes outlawed and the Human Rights Act amended to include non-discrimination because of perceived or real gender identity or sexual orientation. Ed loved the expansiveness that the sparse beauty of the New Mexico desert, with its light and infinite vistas, brought to his spirit. He loved reading, art, film, music, fine foods, gardening, travel, and progressive political activism. He shared his life with his companion of 18 years, Eduardo-Rubio Arzate, and loved to be in the company of his family and friends. Ed was pre-deceased by his father, Jim and his brother, Tom. In addition to Eduardo, Ed is survived by his mother, Eileen; brothers and sisters, Mary (Peter Fortunato), Helen, Jimmy (Luann), John (Eric Pfeiffer), Nancy Wolstenholme, and Gerry (Eileen); and nieces and nephews, Michael, Lauren, Erin, Patrick, Steven, Paul, John, Harry, Louis, Claire, and Andrew. He is also survived by his beloved Siamese cats, Luna, Antonia, Elio, and Tigre. A celebration of Ed's life will be held at a later date. Donations in memory of Ed may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the NAACP, or the ACLU.
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