Who Is Ed Warren? 6 New Details About Psychic Lorraine Warren's Husband
He and his wife inspired The Amityville Horror and The Conjuring film franchises.
Instagram An icon in the worlds of psychics and horror films passed away on Thursday, Apr. 18. Lorraine Warren was 92 when she died “peacefully” in her sleep, according to her son-in-law Tony Spera. The New England Society for Psychic Research announced on its Facebook page that the famous medium had passed away: "The NESPR team regretfully announces the passing of our loving teacher, mentor, friend, mother, Lorraine."
If the name Lorraine Warren is not familiar, the many movies she inspired through her psychic investigations are easily recognizable. Her work, which spanned over half a century, served as the muse for franchises that are considered Hollywood horror film staples: The Amityville Horror series and The Conjuring. She also inspired the Annabelle films, along with an episode of the Discovery Channel series A Haunting and books including The Haunted and Graveyard: True Hauntings from an Old New England Cemetery.
The latest Conjuring film, The Curse of La Llorona, opened on Apr. 19. Vera Farmiga, the actress that played Lorraine in The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, The Nun, and upcoming film Annabelle Comes Home, paid her respect to the legendary medium on Twitter. "From my deep feeling of sorrow, a deep feeling of gratitude emerges. I was so blessed to have known her and am honored to portray her. She lived her life in grace and cheerfulness. She wore a helmet of salvation, she dawned her sword of compassion, and took a shield of faith. Righteousness was her breastplate, and she has touched my life so. Love you Lorraine. You're waltzing with Ed now."
“Ed” refers to Lorraine’s late husband, Ed Warren. He had passed years before, but was equally important to his wife’s work. He was truly her partner, as a couple and in their line of work.
Who was Ed Warren? Below are six facts about the other half of the mystic Warren pair.
1. He was a World War II veteran
Ed served in the Navy during WWII. He served in both the Pacific and European theatres. He was only 15 when the United States entered the war. He was also a former police officer.
A black-and-white photo of Lorraine and Ed Warren, along with their birth and death dates.
2. He was a painter
After the war ended, Ed returned to the United States and enrolled in art school. His paintings tended to depict winter scenes, indicative of New England … and haunted houses, indicative of his and his wife’s passion. He sold some of his works.
3. He and Lorraine were married for 61 years
The couple that eventually became a paranormal powerhouse got married in 1945. They had a daughter together, Judy Warren Spera. Together, they claimed to have investigated over 10,000 cases over the course of their careers. The two also co-authored 10 books together.
4. He was a demonologist
Ed was a self-taught demonologist. According to dictionary.com, demonology is “the study of demons or of beliefs about demons.” He was employed to investigate reports of haunted houses. When asked about the kinds of spirits she and her husband would encounter in an interview with Birth.Movies.Death, Lorraine said they were usually human spirits, but given her husband’s area of expertise, they encountered more sinister spirits as well.
“My husband was a demonologist, so we had a lot. But there are more human spirits. There are far more human spirits.”
By the time of his death, Ed was one of seven religious demonologists in the United States.
5. The Warrens founded the New England Society For Psychic Research
Although their work took across the nation, and the globe, to Japan, Australia, and Europe, the two were rooted in New England. The couple founded the NESPR in 1952, making it the oldest ghost hunting group in the region. The leader of the society is now Tony Spera; it’s based in Monroe, CT.
A photo of the Warrens as depicted in The Conjuring series, along with the couple in real life.
6. He died of a stroke in 2006
Lorraine outlived her husband by nearly 13 years. He was also survived by his daughter and her husband, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Ed’s obituary, published in The Hartford Courant, included his response to the idea of death, and whether he feared it or not: “No, I don't fear it, not one iota, I know I'll be going to a beautiful place, a place so spectacular it defies words. As Jackie Gleason once said, when asked the same question, ‘Why should I fear it?, I'm going to die anyway.’"
The obituary also mentioned that he was an animal lover and advocate; he had rescued many animals throughout his life. His family requested that people send memorial contributions to the Animal Center in Newtown, CT in lieu of flowers.
Alison Cerri is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture and relationship topics.