Edith May Godfrey ( Edwards ). October 5th, 1926 - November 7th, 2023

A dear and beautiful soul has left us.  Farewell dear Edith, our wise, wonderful and courageous mother, grandmother, great grandmother and auntie.  Predeceased by Maurice, the love of her life, and her only son, Peter.  Also her sisters Iris (Harry), Evelyn (Bryn), Betty (Tom), Marion (Des) and brother Gordon (Phyllis/Shirley).

Incredibly loved and missed for her kindness, generosity, unconditional love and wisdom by daughters, Larraine (Keith), Diana ( Richard), Maria (Steve)  daughter in law, Shirley (Peter) and niece, Wendy (Huw )  Also by grandchildren, Laura, Gavin, Daniel, Catherine, Alison, Kevin, Iain, Karl and Emma and great grandchildren, Elle, Danielle, Neve, Josh, Zach and Harry.
Edith leaves behind many nieces and nephews and dear friends in both the United Kingdom and Canada.  

Edith was born in Maesteg, South Wales, the third of six children born to Gordon and Edith May Edwards,  She grew up and went to school with her sisters in the village of Caerau in the Llynfi Valley. Although times were hard back then, it was a happy childhood full of music and laughter. 

One evening, just before the war broke out, she met Maurice during a blind date at the Palais de Danse in Bridgend. They immediately realized that their relationship was something special but Maurice was called away to serve in the Royal Air Force in the war and they did not see each other again for a few years. When the war was over Maurice came to South Wales to find his sweetheart and they were married in Caerau in March, 1947.

Edith and Maurice travelled all over the United Kingdom from one RAF base to the next with a slowly increasing brood of children in tow.  She loved the life and never complained about having to pack up and leave when Maurice was posted.  She treated it rather as another adventure where she would see new places and meet new people.

She created a garden wherever she went, not just for her pleasure but for the pleasure of those who came after her. Her love of gardening stayed with her all her life and she was never happier than when she was outside planting, feeding, deadheading or just enjoying the beauty that she had created.

In the last years of Maurice’s career in the Royal Air Force he was stationed in Cyprus and Singapore and Edith embraced the life and culture of both countries.

As her children grew up and her grandchildren began to arrive she showed once again her inestimable love.  Every single one of them was special and she was the coolest Nan ever; always ready to try something new or go on an adventure whether it was paddling in the sea, building sand castles, watching Star Trek, camping in a tent beside the river or riding a quad bike.

Tragically Maurice passed away at the age of 58, not long after he retired from the Royal Air Force.  Edith was heartbroken but gradually began to build her life again and eventually moved from Banbury to Shaldon in Devon, a little village that she had grown to love during her visits to her daughter Diana and husband Dick. 

She lived happily in her apartment in The Manor House for the next 20 years. She joined the Methodist Church and made wonderful friends who she loved and cared for like family.  She started a youth group at the church which grew from just a few children to a whole roomful as word got around about how much fun they were having.
During that time she also started to go cruising with her dear friends, Betty and Grace.  She loved seeing new places, getting dressed up for the fancy dinners on board and waking up in a new port every day.  The ladies went everywhere from the Mediterranean and Scandinavia to South America and Mexico. Edith loved it.

She also visited with family in Canada every year for forty years,  When Shaldon became busy with visitors during the summertime Edith came to Canada for two months where she spent time with her family and friends. She travelled with Larraine and Keith all over the country from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia in the East to Vancouver and Victoria in the West.

Our seasoned traveller has been up Mount Washington in the States, to the Greek Islands and France with Diana and Dick, as well as Tunisia and the Canaries with cousin Wendy, too.  She had many memorable visits to Cyprus with Peter and Shirley’s family and went Whale Watching in Iceland with Maria’s family at the grand age of 93.    She loved it all but best of all she loved to be with her family and her family loved to have her with them.  A holiday was not a holiday without Edith.

Edith’s absolute favourite place was out on the moors among the gorse and the heather.  She loved the wildness and the wide open spaces, the sheep and the ponies and the wind blowing through her hair. Perhaps it reminded her of the mountains of her childhood in Wales. It was always where she asked to go; her very special place.

Edith celebrated her 90th birthday twice; once in Canada and the second time on her actual birthday in England. Edith loved a celebration and the more family and friends around to help her, the better. 

You would think after moving and travelling all her life that at the age of 95, Mum would be happy to stay put.  Not Edith, she was ready for another adventure!  She decided to move to Rivers Edge Court in Okehampton to be nearer Maria and family. She had a lovely apartment overlooking the trees and the river and she liked nothing better than opening the windows and listening to the water as it rushed by. Even in the short time she lived in Okehampton she touched the lives of those around her with her love and kindness.

Edith passed away peacefully in her own home on November 7th with her family around her.  God Bless you Mum and rest in peace.  You will always be here with us in our hearts.