Ed Fitch

Edward Fitch (1937-2024) was an influential American occult author and a High Priest within the Gardnerian Wicca tradition. He played a crucial role in the development of contemporary Wicca and Neo-Paganism in the United States. Fitch's background included extensive military service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, during which he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and earned a master's degree in Systems Management. His military career involved postings in various international locations and the United States, working in areas like missile design and deep-space planning.

Beyond his military service, Fitch was deeply involved in the Neo-Pagan community. Initiated into Wicca in 1967, he co-founded "The Pagan Way," an outer court Neo-Pagan tradition. He also contributed to "The Waxing Moon," an early magazine dedicated to Witchcraft in America, which later became "The Crystal Well." Fitch was instrumental in organizing Pagan Ecumenical Councils in the mid-1970s, which helped establish the Covenant of the Goddess (COG). Throughout the 1980s, he continued his work as a High Priest and explored initiation into various other magical and Pagan traditions.

Operating under the name "Ea," Ed Fitch's influence on the Neo-Pagan landscape was substantial. His initiation in 1967 marked the beginning of a long career dedicated to the Craft. As a co-creator of "The Pagan Way," he helped establish a structured approach for those entering Neo-Paganism. His editorial work on "The Waxing Moon" provided a vital platform for the nascent American Witchcraft movement, fostering community and disseminating information. Fitch's efforts in organizing Pagan Ecumenical Councils were pivotal in creating the Covenant of the Goddess, an organization aimed at unifying and representing diverse Pagan paths on an international scale. His personal practice expanded beyond Gardnerian Wicca, encompassing initiations into traditions such as Faerie faith, Mohsian, the Order of Osiris, the Order of the Temple of Astarte, Norse, and Ceremonial magick, demonstrating a broad engagement with esoteric systems.

Prior to and during his extensive involvement in the occult community, Ed Fitch maintained a diverse professional career. His service in the United States Air Force, culminating in the rank of lieutenant colonel, provided him with a foundation in technical fields. After his military tenure, he worked as a technical writer and electronics engineer in Washington D.C. His varied employment history also included roles as a private detective, a shopkeeper at Disneyland, an editor for a small publishing house, and a troubleshooter for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This broad range of experiences likely informed his unique perspective on magic and esoteric subjects, bridging the practical and the mystical.