Dr Bernard Palmer writes:
SYBIL Edwards, the wife since 1984 of the Very Revd Dr David
Edwards, a former member of the Church Times editorial
staff, died peacefully on 28 January, aged 89.
The latter part of Dr Edwards's reign as Dean of Norwich was
overshadowed by the tragic collapse of his first marriage to Hilary
(about which he poured out his heart to me on a number of
occasions). His supremely happy marriage to Sybil Falcon in 1984,
by which time he had become Provost of Southwark, therefore came to
him as a blessed relief. Sybil had served for 23 years as a
missionary in South Africa, and so could share his church
interests. She was the ideal person in every way to help David
rebuild his shattered life.
My late wife, Jane, and I saw much of them both, and it was
always a joy to us to observe how immensely happy they were
together. Sybil was as devoted to David as he was to her, and they
made a marvellous couple, who complemented each other in all sorts
of ways.
This was particularly evident to Jane and me during a modest
adventure holiday we made with them to Morocco in 1998, under the
auspices of Explore Worldwide. Sybil was very much an Explore type,
David rather less so, though in their different ways they were to
prove the life and soul of the party. Sybil even persuaded David to
embark on a brief camel ride, which led him to remark on his next
Christmas card to me: "Wise men don't go on camels!"
Neither David nor Sybil has latterly enjoyed good health, and it
has been particularly rewarding in recent times to watch the ways
in which Sybil, though not well herself, still insisted on caring
for her ailing husband. Fortunately, his surviving children by his
first marriage will be at hand.
