Vale:Donald         Wentworth Edwards

Don was not an Old Virgilian but he had a long and giving association with St Virgil’s College.

He was born in 1929, grew up in Battery Point and attended the Friends School. At Friends he played First XI cricket and coxed its rowing eight.  Cricket was to continue to be a life long passion.

In 1946, together with his brother, joined the family business – Edwards & Co. as a Customs Agent. It was a career that would last for 46 years.

Don’s association with St Virgil’s was triggered through the Crane family – He fell in love with and married Pat Crane, who had attended St Mary’s College, and whose brothers, Peter and John (both deceased) had attended St Virgil’s.  Peter’s sons Martin and Michael were later to attend his alma mater.   Old Virgilian identities Roger Smart and Bruce Doolan, were best man and groomsman respectively at Pat & Don’s nuptials.

The couple established their home at Rosny on Hobart’s eastern shore and they became parents five sons  (Paul, Michael, Simon, Justin & Nicholas) and a daughter, Margaret. 

Don thrived in his new family life to combine business, family and sports … sports administration. 

All five boys attended the St Virgil’s and all went on to forge outstanding careers.  Soccer and cricket was the main pursuit of the Edwards lads during their school days, and Don was there supporting them all the way.  The achievements of the five sons was featured in an earlier article of the OVAtion E Newsletter – Edition 30 , April 2020.

Don’s ‘Honour Board ‘ of community involvement goes something like this:

• Life member of the National Fitness Association
• Chairman and Life member of the Southern Tasmanian (junior) Soccer Association
• Justice of the Peace
• Manager of several Tasmanian underage soccer teams that participated interstate at National carnivals
• President of the Clarence Cricket Club
• A Director of Cricket Tasmania for 11 years
• 16 years as the Chair of the TCA Umpires Appointments Panel
• Weekly, print, radio and television reporter for Tasmanian soccer, and even
• 50 years + (life membership) of the RACT, perhaps a fitting reward for owning a Hi-Ace bus that transported so many!

A large number gathered at Graham’s Funeral Home to farewell Don on Monday June 21– the ceremony was conducted by Fr Peter Addicoat  CP, who,  along with Br Ed Braden (also present) had a very long association with the Edward's family.  

Rest in peace, Don