R.I.P. Edna, August 28 1930 - November 1 2020

Sunday
We had been out hiking in the afternoon and were out of signal, but when we got back to the car with a small amount of signal, Roger saw a message from his brother-in-law, saying please call Janet or your Dad. We were immediately aware of what this most likely meant, but we had to drive to nearby Xenia to get better signal, and then he called and received the news that his Mum had passed away early evening English time. She had been in a care home for four years, virtually to the day, suffering from vascular dementia, but had been relatively stable until recently. About a month ago she had an episode which scared us all, but then she rallied. Until Covid hit, Bernard used to visit her every day - in the earlier stages of her time there he would bring her home a couple of afternoons a week. However most of this year the home has been locked down. There were a couple of months during the summer when Bernard and Janet were able to visit with her occasionally outside in a little marquee they had put up, but then they had a Covid case in the home, so they were locked down again, and residents had to stay in their rooms. Unfortunately, what with quarantine and England’s lockdown, it’s not really practical for us to go over, which we obviously find very hard. Janet and John are hoping to set up a zoom link for us. We are all really concerned for Bernard, who at 92 and suffering greatly from arthritis, hardly leaves the house. He lives on the same street as Janet and John so Janet is able to keep an eye on him, and goes and cooks him a meal every evening. However it’s been clear from Roger’s regular phone calls with his Dad, that Covid and its effects have taken a toll on him. Some days he will be OK, but others he can get quite depressed.
Edna was a wonderful Christian lady, wife, mother and grandmother. She was very capable, a great homemaker, cook, baker and hostess. She was very practical and down to earth. She also used to keep the accounts for Bernard’s building and decorating business and had served as church treasurer. Then, when Bernard retired and decided he wanted to build a new house, she put her hand to building assistant too! It’s been so hard watching her decline over recent years, seeing the effect the disease  has had on her, losing her ability to do things, losing her memory to the point that some days she didn’t recognize Bernard, and becoming at times someone we found hard to recognize. For example she had always been a very calm person, I don’t think I ever heard her lose her temper, but in the home she quite often would have a falling out with other residents!
You will be greatly missed Edna, but we take comfort in the fact that you are in a better place now with your Heavenly Father