Obituary for Tristan da Cunha islander Edward Rogers, who passed away 16th March 2023, aged 77.

Obituary for Edward Rogers

Edward Patrick Rogers, known as ‘Eddie’, passed away on the 15th March 2023. He was born to parents Paddy and Laurie Rogers on the 6th September 1945. He was the youngest of three children, and married Rebecca Swain on the 5th September 1967 and had one daughter Tanya.

For all of his working life until his retirement Eddie worked for the Tristan lobster factory (run by Tristan Investments and later Ovenstones).  When he left school he worked at the Lobster factory at Little Beach, fishing in small dinghies. Following the eruption of the volcano in 1961, Eddie worked alongside other island men on ships of the Union Castle Line between Southampton and South Africa, he thoroughly enjoyed
this and could tell many a tale.

When he returned to Tristan in 1963 he worked in the lobster factory as a welder, in 1980 he trained at Globes in Cape Town and qualified as a welder. 

He was also a fisherman, in the early days spending time on-board the fishing vessels fishing around Gough, Inaccessible and Nightingale and then later fishing in the local boats around Tristan.

St Mary's Anglican Church was always a big part of Eddie’s Life. He started serving as an altar boy in church
at the age of nine and then served as a voluntary Lay Minister, where he served until his health prevented him from doing so. Throughout this time, he was always known to be visiting the sick and elderly, he conducted many baptisms, weddings and funerals and was also a Church Warden taking care of the Church and Rectory. Eddie was recognised by the Island community for his long-standing service to the Church, island and its people by being awarded with the British Empire Medal (BEM) in December 2019.

Eddie was a compassionate person and would often say to his family and friends ‘be kind to others especially strangers as you were a stranger one day, and always treat people how you would like to be treated’. He was a hardworking man who always made sure his family was well provided for. He loved going to the potato patches to tend to his crops. Another big love of his was going for trips to Nightingale in the longboats and even when at Nightingale on Sunday mornings he held church services.

Eddie was a kind and humble man with a great sense of humour, which he will always be remembered for. He will be sadly missed by his wife Rebecca, daughter Tanya, son- in-law Andrew, sister Audrey and all his family and friends.