There will be a public “Celebration” at Royal South Yarra Tennis Club at 2.30pm on Thursday 1st June commencing at 2.30pm. There is a Tribute Page set up for Cynthia here: https://www.nelsonbros.com.au/obituaries/Cynthia-Edgell?obId=27953244#/celebrationWall. It includes details of the service.
Vale – Cynthia Elizabeth Edgell (26/1/39 – 18/5/23)
Cynthia Edgell was inducted into the Club on 5 May 2004 with the classification Life Coach. Her sponsor was Robin Syme.
Cynthia was born and educated in Hobart, training as a Speech Pathologist. She led the Speech Pathology Department at the Royal Children’s Hospital for 13 years. Experiencing in her own words a ‘mid-life crisis’, Cynthia embarked on a steep learning curve and joined the world of financial services. Boldly, Cynthia once owned and ran a small vineyard at Steels Creek in the Yarra Valley. Subsequently she found her passion in Life Coaching.
Ever since joining Rotary, Cynthia was a most active and involved Rotarian, having been a member of the Public Relations, Membership Development, Vocational Service, Community Welfare, Reception and Program Committees, and the Malvern Group.
It was in the Vocational Service Committee that Cynthia made her greatest mark. She joined the Committee in 2005 and was a stalwart, having chaired it for a number of years and led in identifying talent and leadership for Club Awards recognising Young Achievers, Vocational Service as well as the District Shine-On Awards for the disabled.
In 2008, a team from our Club went to East Timor. She was the safety officer for our building project in Baucau. Together with Daryl Hawkey's wife Julie, she went off into the country to check progress on our micro credit projects. In that year Cynthia received the Axle Award for her enthusiastic service to the Club and our community – most particularly due to her chairing both the Vocational Service and Reception Committees.
Through Cynthia’s membership of the Community Welfare Committee, she championed and led the Mentoring Program for the Club with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, been an advocate and promoter of the Rotary Connects project, and was pivotal in the founding and developing of the Club’s Think Tank formed from the Club’s Women’s Group.
Cynthia was a Club Director of Meetings and Fellowship for Presidents Peter Rogers and Quin Scalzo 2015-2017 and was Group Captain of the Malvern Group and Captain of Groups.
Volunteering was an integral part of Cynthia’s Rotary membership, responding to calls for help with Around the Bay, Vintage Sales and DIK. Her amazing talent was exemplified through identifying worthy individuals for the Annual Vocational Service Award, the Community Service Award, and most recently, the first Environmental Award - Claire Moore.
Cynthia’s great service to the Club is reflected in the many roles she assumed and in her support of the Rotary Foundation, having reached the Two-Sapphire Paul Harris level.
Cynthia accepted the invitation to be Vice President (Management & Communications) 2019-20 for President Kevin Sheehan. When her illness was diagnosed, she sought to relinquish the Vice-Presidency. However, after some persuasion, Cynthia accepted the kind offer of Barbara Yerondais to continue her VP role into the new Rotary year.
Cynthia was awarded the 2020 Wittner Mentoring Award, but the physical presentation was delayed due to the due to Covid pandemic. Once lockdowns finished and there was a willingness to get out and about, an in-person gathering was arranged and the Award was presented as witnessed by her fellow Vice-President, David Carruthers. On that occasion, Cynthia reiterated how retaining the Vice-Presidency kept her going through the toughest period of her treatment and her comments were earnestly supported by Neil Williams who accompanied her.
It is widely known that Cynthia valued her involvement to Rotary Melbourne and demonstrated her commitment in so many ways in so many projects. Cynthia exemplified grace, dignity, friendship and ‘Service Above Self’ in the same passionate way that she embraced life and everything she did. Her bright personality and can-do nature will be greatly missed.
