June Edwards and her great-grandson Taite. Photo: Supplied.
The roles we play in the lives of others shape the legacy we leave behind.
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June Edwards leaves a lasting legacy as a beloved wife, mother, friend and as the ‘accompanist of Echuca’.
Mrs Edwards was born in September, 1935, to parents Thomas and Mable Brenner.
Her mother, who played the organ at their local church, taught Mrs Edwards how to play the piano from a young age.
She continued to learn throughout her childhood and further developed her technique and skills during her time at the Methodist Ladies College in Kew.
After college, she studied nursing at the Echuca Hospital and graduated at the age of 20 in August, 1956.
June Edwards and John Charles Edwards were married in 1957. Photo: Supplied.
In May 1957 she married John Charles Edwards and moved to Mathoura, where she gave birth to her two sons, Brendan and Gary.
In 1962, the couple purchased the Glengarry farm in Moama, where they settled down for many years to come.
In September 1964, the Edwards family became five with the birth of their daughter, Suzanne.
In the late 1960s, she arrived on to the local music scene, beginning with her role as the accompanist for the Echuca City Choir.
During this time she also studied to obtain her Diploma in Teaching Music which she achieved in 1972 and began her piano teaching career.
After the choir disbanded, she formed the Echuca Music Group in 1975, alongside other community members and took on the roles of accompanist and secretary.
June Edwards and a colleague working on the musical, Oklahoma! Photo: Supplied.
Mrs Edwards remained a key member of the music group for over a decade, bringing to life musicals such as My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!, The Mikado, Showboat, Annie Get Your Gun, Kismet and her final musical, Annie, in 1998.
In 1980, together with her life-long friends Cindy Abbey, Marilyn Bradbury, Maureen Carr, Carmel Ryan and Diane Henss and other talented musicians, she co-founded the Echuca Chamber Music Group.
The group collaborated on a number of compositions and performances such as Gloria by Vivaldi and Bach Cantata.
The Echuca Chamber Music Group. Photo: Supplied.
On top of her involvement with local groups, she continued her work as a music teacher, teaching more than 60 children a week at the peak of her career.
She was also approached by the majority of the primary and secondary schools in the area to offer private music lessons to the students.
Many of her students went on to win awards in regional eisteddfods and competitions and receive top grades in ANZCA and AMEB music exams.
In the early 1980s, it was also Mrs Edwards who introduced and taught VCE Music at St Joseph’s College in Echuca, which expanded educational opportunities for students and helped nurture the love of music among youth.
She became affectionately known as the ‘accompanist of Echuca’ as she was always present at official events, such as the opening of the Paramount Arts Activity Centre, centenary dinners and Christmas concerts.
Mrs Edwards continued her piano lessons right up until December 2023, when she was 88.
The ‘accompanist of Echuca’, June Edwards. Photo: Supplied.
Under the special care of geriatrician, Jesse Zanker, a past piano student of Mrs Edwards, she was able to delay the effects of dementia for several years.
However, a visit to the ERH in 2024 determined that Mrs Edwards would no longer be able to live independently and was moved into Wharparilla Lodge.
In December 2024, Mrs Edwards died at the age of 89.
Mrs Edwards will be fondly remembered by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and everyone she has shared her gift of music with.
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