Edward Charles Breiter, 89, died at Life Care Center in Idaho Falls on Thursday, February 21, 2013, from causes incident to age. He was born October 16, 1923, in the York area of Idaho Falls in what was then the bedroom, later the dining room, of his home. He was the youngest of five children, and being a large baby was given the nickname "Buster", later shortened to "Bus" or "Buz". He was known by this nickname to both family and friends at the York School and Grange. Friends he met later in life knew him as "Ed". He graduated from Shelley High School in 1941. Ed spent his entire working life farming at the home where he was born. In 1966, he also attended a school to run heavy equipment. His great love was classical music, especially the operas of Strauss, Verdi, and Mozart, and his very favorite, Richard Wagner. He could quote plot lines, themes, and backstage stories from all his favorites. He owned a massive collection of well-preserved 78 recordings, LP's, CD's, and DVD's, including many complete operas, which he donated to radio station KBYI for historic preservation. One of the highlights of his life was going to New York City to see several of his favorites at the old Metropolitan Opera House, before the new Lincoln Center house was built. In 1991, he had the chance to experience the new Met, where he attended the entire Wagner Ring Cycle. He had a beautiful tenor voice and participated in many early community productions of "Messiah". He would also entertain anyone who asked with his delightful patter songs, "Elmer and the Bear", "Trouble" from "The Music Man", plus many selections from Gilbert and Sullivan. He was a lifelong supporter of the Idaho Falls Symphony and sang the organization's praises to his last days. He also loved to play chess and helped to establish the local chess club. He was a voracious reader and loved to quote the plays of Shakespeare and his favorite, Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables", which he re-read several times. Although "Buz" never married and never had children of his own, he was a beloved and much appreciated mentor to his one nephew and two nieces. His vast wealth of "useless knowledge" helped all three of them to become outstanding students. The proudest accomplishment of Ed's life was his twelve year fight to ban the dangerous chemical, DINOSEB, which had been patented by Dow Chemical. This chemical had at one time been used as a weight control product, and was eventually determined to cause blindness. In the spring of 1977, Ed was shocked when all 25 of his cows gave birth to dead or badly deformed calves, missing tails and eyes, and with badly deformed feet. He realized that during the previous August and September, they had been exposed during only one incident to dermal drift of DINOSEB. Ed began a campaign to alert the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Idaho Department of Agriculture, and the University of Idaho. With very few exceptions, his efforts were met with everything from indifference to outright hostility. During the next ten years, he gradually gathered enough information to interest a German chemical company, American Hoechst, in the problem. Appalled by the strong possibility that this material was killing thousands and causing birth defects, they commissioned a Swiss drug laboratory to run tests on this chemical, confirming Ed's earlier suspicions of its extreme danger. Results of these tests were submitted to the EPA, causing them to impose a partial ban pending further testing. Ed was scheduled to testify at EPA's expense in Washington, D.C. but further tests by the EPA confirmed the results of the Swiss tests and forced the EPA to order a complete emergency ban. They confirmed that even minor dermal exposure would cause a fever of 104 to 108 degrees, basically killing anyone with cardiac or respiratory problems. It was also concluded that pregnant women who were exposed to DINOSEB during their first trimester were giving birth to babies with missing extremities and genitalia. Ed considered this campaign, which prevented thousands of deaths and birth defects, to be his greatest legacy. Ed was preceded in death by his father, Otto Charles Breiter; mother, Beulah Whittington Breiter; sisters: Lillian (Howard) Anderson, Beulah (Frank) Warr, and Pauline (Leonard) Fisk; a brother, Albert (Enid) Breiter. He is survived by a nephew, Lowell (Greta) Breiter of Hurricane, Utah; nieces: Virginia Warr Willard (Miles, deceased) of Idaho Falls, and Patti Fisk Buckwalter (Winfred) of Brooklyn, New York. He will also be greatly missed by his longtime caregiver, Alice Burch of Shelley. Thanks also go out to his good friend and support, Dr. Charles Higham of Shelley. Ed was requested that his body be given up to medical research. Also at his request, no funeral services will be held. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Bonneville County Sheriff's Office-Drug Rehabilitation, attention Darlean, 605 N. Capital; Idaho Falls, ID 83401; or to the Idaho Falls Symphony, 450 A Street; Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83402, or donate online at ifsymphony.org Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.coltrinmortuary.com.