John Glyndwr Edwards
With his daughters by his side Glyn (Papa) passed away peacefully on November 28, 2009 in St. Joseph’s hospital after a brief illness.
Glyn was born in Nanaimo on June 15, 1922. However, the family soon ‘followed the coal’ to Blakeburn where he lived until his late teens. When work ended in Blakeburn the family returned to Nanaimo and eventually found their way to Cumberland. From there Glyn joined the RCAF in 1941 and did two tours overseas during WWII before rejoining his family in Cumberland at war’s end.
Glyn decided coal mining wasn’t for him and soon packed up and headed for Vancouver where he trained to be an elementary school teacher. After attending UBC and ‘normal school’ Glyn was hired by the Burnaby School Board. He had a very successful career there and taught, or was a principal, at many local schools. Glyn finished his career as Co-coordinating Principal of Administration at the District office.
Glyn married his wife Lorraine in 1947 and raised his two daughters (Margo and Glenda) in Burnaby. Glyn retired in 1978 to care for his wife and make plans to return to Vancouver Island to live in their new waterfront home. Unfortunately, Lorraine passed away before the dream could be realized. Despite this, Glyn moved to Bowser where he eventually started a new life and enjoyed many productive and happy years fishing, golfing, and serving the community and the Bowser Legion.
After suffering a stroke in 1996 Glyn decided to move to Comox to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren. His heart however, always remained with his dear friends and Legion family in Bowser.
Glyn was predeceased by his father (John Walter) and mother (Dorothy nee: Lewis), wife (Lorraine nee: Aikenhead) and brother Dave (Shirley). He is survived by his daughters Margo (Allan Curtis) and Glenda (Bryan Morgan), granddaughters Michelle and Jackie (Gilbert Astorga), grandsons Scott (Krista) and Steven (Chrissy) and his three great granddaughters: Sadie, Clara and Anaia. He will also be sadly missed by his sisters Dorothy (Dennis Shields) and Betty (Gordon McLellan) as well as his brothers Bill (Donna) and Bob (Beryl) along with many nieces, nephews and close friends.
The family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the doctors and staff of St. Joseph’s hospital for the kindness, care and support provided to Glyn during his last few weeks.
A ‘Celebration of Glyn’s Life’ will take place at the Bowser Legion on Monday December 14 from 2-4pm.
In Glyn’s memory donations to the Bowser Legion Branch #211 (Box 115, Bowser, BC V0N 1G0) in support of scholarships or general fundraising for community projects would be appreciated.