Several months ago, Merle Edwards, a well-known member of the Whitianga community, was farewelled following a courageous but losing battle with cancer.
While it’s always sad when the time comes for those final goodbyes, it’s important to also acknowledge lasting contributions which will continue to benefit many people.
On Merle’s part, her constant and unwavering advocacy on the behalf of New Zealand seniors via Grey Power New Zealand, will be felt locally and nationally.
Merle attended St Catharine’s School in Wellington; her love and devotion to her church, and its tenants, continued throughout her life.
There was a period spent ‘across the ditch’, with good friend Yvonne. During that time, she worked for the ANC Bank in Melbourne.
“Merle was a real treasure. Anyone who knew or met her were charmed by her graciousness and genuine compassion for those who were struggling. Her passing will be sorely missed by Grey Power locally, as well as at the regional and national level.” – David Marshall
But despite being a working girl, her life there was controlled by the conventions of the day – single women’s dorms with lights out and no men after 9.30pm. If you weren’t inside at curfew, the doors were locked. There were frequent breakouts but only for a hot chocolate down the road!
Hot chocolate wasn’t the only interest Merle cultivated in Australia. While there, she met her future husband, Bill. They were engaged on New Year’s Day, 1960 and married in November of that year.
After settling in Wellington, and starting their own family, life was very busy with Merle working three jobs to help make ends meet.
One of those jobs was owning Georgia Brown’s, her own boutique fashion store in Wellington and before long, she was approached by Energy Bank to be its corporate clothing manager. She held this position until she retired.
Merle and Bill were looking forward to retirement in the country but, sadly, Bill passed in 1999. Some years later, Merle made her way to Whitianga joining daughter Vicki and Steve’s family who had relocated there.
In the ensuing years she made wonderful friends and was always the first to volunteer her help where needed. Although she loved being surrounded by family, Merle also wanted to contribute to the community. That’s when she found Grey Power Mercury Bay.
For more than nine years, she served as president of the Mercury Bay association ensuring it was represented at every district and national meeting from Matamata to Wellington. In doing so she became well-known and well-liked throughout the Grey Power New Zealand world.
On her passing, Grey Power Mercury Bay received many tributes, but the one that best sums up Merle’s impact and, indeed, Merle herself, came from the Federation’s national vice president, David Marshall, who said:
“Merle was a real treasure. Anyone who knew or met her were charmed by her graciousness and genuine compassion for those who were struggling. Her passing will be sorely missed by Grey Power locally, as well as at the regional and national level where her gentle but committed advocacy for others was well recognised and appreciated.”
Over the last couple of years, I had the privilege of working with and learning from Merle in Grey Power. She was a dynamic force to be reckoned with!
On reflection, a quote came to mind from that classic book, The Wizard of Oz; it is a fitting description of the success of Merle’s life:
“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others.”
Rest well Merle. You will always be very much loved by those who knew you!
