We got very sad news today — our longtime freelance columnist Ed Quillen died unexpectedly on Sunday.

“Colorado has lost one of its most thoughtful and colorful characters,” said Curtis Hubbard, editorial page editor. “For decades, Ed’s humor and keen eye shed light for Denver Post readers on topics ranging from our current politics to the state’s rich history. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.”

He was a lifelong Coloradan, historian, folklorist and political activist. His website (www.edquillen.com) contains 2,751 columns, blog postings and essays starting in 1984, when he wrote his first story for The Denver Post in Empire Magazine.

We will be running excerpts from some of his more memorable columns in our Sunday Perspective section. We invite readers to share their memories of Ed and his work on www.facebook.com/DenverPostOpinion.

This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, it cited an incorrect birthdate for Ed Quillen.