Laurie Elliott | Special to SWoCo

Ed Teller (left) and Lee Garrett have been friends for 11 years. — Laurie Elliott, special to SWoCo

Ed Teller and Lee Garrett met in Roanoke some eleven years ago. They have a friendship that's revered and complementary. They are very different people and yet they respect and admire each other. "We respect and value each others' opinion because we know where it's coming from," explains Ed.

Ed and Lee love to innocently joke around too. Humor, a zest for life and wise worldly stories cause one to want to grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair.

Lee and Ed showed up at a local restaurant completely pressed and ready for business. They are a constant flow of quick and witty humor. Lee, 82, speaks up as we sit, "I'd like you to meet my father," his hand pointing to Ed, 79.

Ed is originally from Ramsey, N.J. He speaks with a noticeable Northern accent, which carries inflections of genuine kindness and warmth. Those inflections are probably what make Ed so great at what he does for a living, sales. Ed has worked for several large corporations over the years, most recently Ideal Fastener Asia LTD. He says he has tried to retire but the company always convinces him to stay a little longer. Ideal Fastener is the second largest manufacturer of zippers. Ed says that he is the "oldest living zipper salesman." Did someone say Trivial Pursuit?

Lee is a retired lieutenant colonel with the United States Air Force and is the feather of another bird. He is a native Roanoker with a Southwest Virginia drawl. He hands me an impressive resume of accomplishments and military employment history. He is a licensed commercial airline pilot and has done everything from broadcasting to serving as air crew member on a B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II.

Ed and Lee met each other at Cave Spring Baptist Church in 1997. They soon became connected through a mutual friend and discovered that they both had a love for music. After several get-togethers and practicing they decided to go on tour throughout Roanoke. With karaoke machine in tow they ventured around assisted living facilities and retirement communities entertaining our aging population with song. "We sang '40s, '50s, and '60s music," Ed comments, "and my favorite was Sinatra." Lee adds, "Mine was country/Western."

They both agreed they had innumerable amounts of antics together and their audiences loved them. Ed glances at Lee, "We've sang together at least once a month for the past 10 years." The friendship is forged through music and laughter.

When asked what makes this friendship successful and long-lasting, Ed says jokingly, "Nothing, I walk away from an hour conversation with Lee thinking I haven't learned a damn thing." Quickly, Lee responds, "That's because you weren't listening."

In all seriousness they both agree it's mutual respect they have for each other and time commitment that keeps their friendship going. There were times they would disagree but "In the end we'd go home smiling," says Ed. As far as time commitment, they currently meet for lunch once a week, and neither has missed it in the last three years.