From Diane Chaisson:
Several of you have asked about how you could respond to Liz’s death. Here is my response:
A note to her family would be appreciated I'm sure. You could make a donation to NMH in her name as well. This would also be appropriate for Mardi Coyle Kildebeck, Sue Curry Barnett or Cheryl Ortstein Wilson as well.
I am happy to send a card from the class to Gil.
Husband address
Gil(bert) Dimattia
266 South Madison Ave #201
Pasadena, CA 91101
Liz’z Obituary from Carolyn Strickland Yopp:
Elizabeth Edgar, Killington, born November 27, 1945, died May 20, 2020
Elizabeth’s family lived on the River Road in what was then Sherburne Center, now Killington. Her mother, Mabel Richardson Edgar, was a school teacher. Her father, David Edgar, worked for the VA in White River, and also played the violin evenings and weekends in a local dance band.
Her mother’s work took her to various places, so Elizabeth grew up in cultures as diverse as Brooklyn, New York and Granby, Vermont, where her mother taught in a one room school and lived in a house without electricity.
Elizabeth attended high school at Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts. From there, she went to Simmons College in Boston. Her time in college included a year at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
While she trained as a teacher at Simmons, her first long term career was in information technology. Subsequently, and with two small children, she attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating with a Master of Science in Social Work degree.
She worked in direct service in Montpelier, and then for many years at the Department of Mental Health in Vermont, where she was instrumental in building innovative housing programs for Vermonters.
Subsequently, she worked on mental health policy in Washington, DC, first at the National Association of State Mental Health Policy Directors, and then at NAMI - the National Association on Mental Illness.
After retiring in 2014, she moved to Los Angeles.
She is survived by her daughter, Kristina, her son, Erik, and her husband, Gilbert.
Jacquie Ballou Sullivan writes:
“I remember Liz as we got to be friends during our dual "dummy duty" in Weston Hall. We made each other feel much less lonely as we shared our interests and beliefs in our respective faiths in God both coming from the same Source and our beliefs in women's equality and world peace. She was a dear and sensitive soul. I will always remember her.”
Suzanne Abbott Reis writes:
Very sad to hear this news. Have clear memory of a fun time shared with Liz in Harvard Square when I have vague memory of a blind date situation. Liz turned it into something positive however because that was just the type of optimistic person she was. When life gave her lemons she always made lemonade out of it. She was definitely the kindest person I ever knew. I’m just so happy I made it to our fiftieth reunion where we reconnected again after fifty years! That uterine cancer is a killer because my sister in law died from the same thing despite many years of chemo treatments, surgeries all. Was hoping to see Liz in Pasadena last summer when we visited California but she was in Italy with her husband because she sent me an email. Is there anything I can do now to help? Like send flowers or something else to her family in her memory? Sitting here with tears in my eyes about this because I was so hoping to see her again. She was so brave because I never once heard her complain or feel sorry for herself. Kindly let me know if there is anything I can do . Love to all.
PS LIFE IS SHORT so treasure those moments with positive people who have character traits you admire and Liz Edgar was definitely one of these people.
Margery Attwater Mosher writes:
I am so sorry about Elizabeth (Liz). We became friends in Weston Hall and then moved to Hibbard senior year. She was such a sweet girl and a great friend. She taught me how to play chess — a game I never learned to love (I am not a great strategist), but we had a good time. Saw her again for the first time at the 50th reunion and we kept in touch by email off and on. I know she had some rough times, and especially battling cancer for quite a long time.
Wendy French Palm writes:
This obituary literally gave me goose bumps. I remember Liz well. I can even see her face in my mind. We had interesting life-similarities. I have a Masters from Simmons in Library/Information Science. My son lived in Vermont for years and is mentally ill. He may have benefited from Liz’s housing decisions at some point. Also, like her, I have been involved with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). I was even on the NH NAMI Board for a very brief time years ago. It’s interesting how our lives intersect, isn’t it?