For everyone telling us to use the big red delete button, thanks, but we would have done that. For the rest of the perplexed... I have figured out the problem and the solution. I had a contact I couldn't delete and, nice guy, but we have the same first name and I have lived in dread of accidentally forwarded the wrong sites to him rather than to my own attention. Until now, I could only console myself with the thought he wouldn't be the worst person to learn rather more about me than he most likely would have cared to.
Here is the problem: He was added as a Facebook contact, a fact helpfully made clear by the itty bitty Facebook icon next to the email address I could not edit or delete in his contact information. Yes, going to the Groups option, as someone pointed out earlier in the thread, and unchecking Facebook will remove these addresses from your Contacts... but only *** viewing *** them in your contacts. Unchecking the box won't remove the contact itself.
The answer?
Go to Settings
Go to Facebook
ALLOW THESE APPS TO USE YOUR ACCOUNT
Contacts
Contacts! Unselect this and, at long last, it's done. I can forward whatever I like to myself without dread. As soon as I hit 'reply', I'm going to make sure my iPad has got the message too.