Albany, NY, Edward J. Heelan, Jr. - 11/16/1950 - 07/22/2026,  passed on to eternal peace after a long illness.  Known affectionally by his friends as “Edwardo Saint John,” or his Rap music followers as “H-Dub” Eddie resided in Albany NY his entire life.  He grew up around the Madison Avenue and Ontario Street neighborhoods and loved hanging around Knapps Tavern, Yezzi’s  and Joe’s Delicatessen.  He worked for Albany County for several years before becoming a corrections officer with the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) at Coxsackie Correctional Facility.  After leaving DOCCS, he was the successful president of HighWire Records, an independent record label, featuring rappers, and hip-hop artists.

At HighWire, he produced shows with his catalog of rappers around the Albany area and in New York City along with producing numerous records featuring “Trife” and “D-Mob” who remained his friends after he retired from HighWire Records.

He was an avid lover of the Saratoga Racetrack and could be regularly found watching the races at OTB or on television during the Saratoga meet.  During his final days, he would watch horse racing from around the country in his hospital bed while he received excellent care from the staff at St. Peter’s Hospital.  Eddie loved gardening, planting flowers and landscaping, a trait he inherited from his mother.  Throughout his life, Eddie loved his cats from his darling “Mimi” to his beloved Onyx and Delilah who provided him with hours of company, joy and love during the final few years of his life.       

Eddie also enjoyed Ralph’s Tavern and loved their chicken wings, his salad with honey-mustard dressing and the Chicken Parmesan.  He especially enjoyed seeing Rachel, Lee and Cho over the final years of his life, who treated him like family and always made him feel at home  while knowing how truly sick he was.               

Eddie was predeceased by his father Edward J. Heelan, Sr., a WW II veteran and his mother Ruth Althiser Heelan.  He is survived by several family members and his best friend of 60-years Stephen G. DeNigris, Esq. who was with him during the final hours of his life.  He will be sorely missed by Steve, their late-night telephone conversations and the regular dinners they shared together every week over their many years of friendship    

A special thanks goes out to the staff at St. Peter’s Hospital, to the doctors, and nurses especially Maya, Jessica, Trudy, and Angela who cared for Eddie with compassion and kindness even when Eddie was grumpy and intolerant because he was so ill.

          A memorial service will be held at the Reilly & Son Funeral Home, 1200 Central Avenue, Colonie on Friday, July 31, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Colonie immediately following the memorial service.