It is with great sadness that we have to farewell another of our founding members so soon. Edith Mitchell died on Sunday 17 January 2021 in Christchurch Hospital. She was 90 years old. There is to be a memorial service at 2.30 on February 22, at Riccarton House.
Edith Mitchell
Edith was our last long standing member to receive a complimentary printed newsletter. When she resigned from the club, citing age and an inability to turn to digital photography, she asked if she could be kept in touch via the newsletter which she loved to read from front to back. Her entire collection of newsletters from 1994 to 2014 resides in the archives as a complete record, and we thank her for her diligent filing of our history.
I first met Edith (as my room-mate) when we travelled to Nepal with Peter Harper in 1992 and then in 1994 we travelled to Greece and Turkey (again with Peter Harper). She then joined the very newly formed Nature Photography Society with great enthusiasm, as it meant she could wander far and wide with like-minded people. Edith went on many field trips over her time in the Society, and not being one of the loud ones, she would quietly set up her tripod and take her photos. She would then surprise us on club nights with the most beautiful images, always choosing her best to show the members.
I enjoyed catching up with her from time to time, the last being at Carl Thompson’s service last year.
Rest well Edith.
Jane Coulter
