Ed Justice has passed away

[river1]

some of us got a personalized tour of his museum in 05

copy pasted from a post on the HAMB

Had the pleasure touring through his museum with him as our guide a couple years ago. Good guy and will be missed.


Ed Justice, Sr., the last of three brothers who founded Justice Brothers, Inc. which would become a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of car care additives, lubricants and cleaners, has died. He was 87.

Justice died August 30, 2008 of complications due to kidney failure in Arcadia, California, said son Ed Justice, Jr.

With $2,500 profit from a racecar they built in their garage, Justice and his brothers Zeke and Gus started Justice Brothers, Inc. in Southern California. In turn, it was built into one of the world's leading brands for professional mechanics and consumers. When Justice retired 20 years ago, the company manufactured 13 products, today the product line numbers in excess of 100. Zeke concentrated on the mechanical side and the formulation of the products while Gus handled the accounting and money side. Gus retired from the business in 1974 and Zeke retired in 1980.

Before the founding of Justice Brothers, Inc., Justice and his brother Zeke worked for the legendary Indianapolis racecar builder Frank Kurtis in Glendale, California. While there, they built and fabricated racecars for the biggest names in racing at that time. It was through these friendships that the oil business would later benefit. After starting Justice Brothers, they went on to win the 1950 Indy 500 sponsoring their former boss Frank Kurtis's entry. When they moved to Jacksonville, Florida, they got involved with stock car racing and helped start NASCAR in late 1947 and became one of the first sponsors. Cars they were involved with won the 1950 Southern 500 and the original Daytona Beach stock car races. Justice was inducted into the West Coast NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2008.

From the youngest age, Justice had shown a great interest in all things mechanical and in particular the automobile. His first business was renting bicycles, which he and his brother Zeke had re-built, to the local towns' people in their hometown of Paola, Kansas.

Justice and his brothers invented the world's first transmission stop-leak and many other innovative products in their field. "My dad and his brothers were stereotypical Midwesterners who came to California to find a better life, and they did. The big reason for their move to California was because it was the center of hot rodding and Indianapolis style racing, with most of the top car builders located there. They knew they had to be part of this", said Ed Justice, Jr.

Justice was the only brother of the three to serve in the military during World War II. He was a member of the 8th Air Force, stationed in England. Justice was known as a salesman's salesman and always stated you needed a quick step and a firm handshake to get ahead. Because of this, he was known as the most visible of the three brothers. This led to Justice appearing in live broadcast television commercials in Jacksonville, Florida at the very beginnings of the medium. Justice and the company became part of the landscape across the United States and in particular a television icon in Southern California. Every commercial was ended with what was to become the well-known phrase "Tell them Ed Justice sent you".

Edward R. Justice, Sr. was born June 12, 1921 in Paola, Kansas to Harry and Anna Justice. His father died at the age of 59.

While living in Southern California, Justice met his first wife Maureen, herself a Nebraska transplant. The couple married in 1947. Maureen died in 1983.

Justice is survived by his son, Ed Justice, Jr.; and daughter in law, Susan; their two daughters Courtney and Caitlin. At the time of Justice's death, he was married to second wife Linda of Arcadia, California. Also surviving are Ed's two stepdaughters Candy; her husband Nowie; Judy; her husband Art; and six step grandchildren.

condolences to family and friends

later jim

[phat rat]

He was quite a guy and a great story teller. I met him in 06 and he was our guide through the Justice Brothers museum. RIP

[HotRodLadyCrusr]

I too got a wonderful tour from the man him in the fall of '05 while on the Ego-Rama.  Great guy, very friendly and outgoing.  My condolences to his family and friends.

[enjenjo]

A real character. I liked all the stories he told us on the tour. And the sales pitch right at the end was over the top.

[DRD57]

It's a sad day. I really liked Ed. He was a great guy.

[Grandadeo]

Ed gave us Florida boys the grand tour in June '07.  Took us into the special garage area and opened up the goodie room and gave us all kinds of decals, hats, Tshirts, etc.  He fired up a few of the cars in there including an Indy car and gassed out the folks in the offices above. Forgot to turn on the exhaust fan I guess.  What a gentleman of the auto sport/hobby.  Like Jack said, his stories were great.  Especially how he would get the cars he was after by smoozing the guys wife, like offering her an all expense paid trip to Hawaii if she helped  close the deal.

Lee

[Pete]

I knew Gus quite well.
I talked to him many times in person and also on the ham radio.
He also had many interesting stories to tell.
Pete