Cheryl Ann (Henick) Edwards
Born In: Sydney
Born: August 17th, 1946
Passed in: Sydney
Passed on: February 20th, 2016
“Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides, just like hopes springing high, still I’ll rise” - Maya Angelou
Our hearts are broken as we announce that our beloved mother has left this earth and our lives. Cheryl 'Bobbi' Edwards age 69, passed away in Sydney at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, surrounded by love and holding the hands of her children.
Born in Sydney, Aug. 17, 1946, Bobbi was one of 16 children born to Margaret (O’Neil) and Walter Henick. She worked all her life as a hair stylist and at the age of 61 our adventurous mother took a civilian job supporting our troops on the Kandahar base in Afghanistan. From there she experienced many parts of the world and returned to Cape Breton to open her home and heart to foreign students.
Left to mourn are her four children, Kelley, Albert ‘Puds’ (Judy), Tonya, and Tara (Will MacDonald), as well as her grandchildren, Courtney Johnston, Robyn Edwards, Roy-Jordan Dinham, Justin and Hannah Pearo and Jaiwei Liu. Her loss is also deeply felt by her companion, Charlie Livingstone and her many ‘international children’ who shared her home and love, Sofia Almanza, Thomas Onizuka, Mused (Sebastian) Manjon, Yuto Kobayashi and JeeSung (Tommy) Park. She is survived by 14 siblings, Donna Gabriel (Ron), Jenny McCarthy (Pat Riley), Judy Boudreau (Wayne), Liz Melski, Walter, Shaun, Greg, Mike (Delores), Kevin, Valerie MacLeod (Dave), Barbara (Paul Floyd), Robert, Ronnie (Wanda) and Glen (Kim) and her 36 nieces and nephews.
She is predeceased by her father, Walter; sister, Verna; in-laws, Ronald (Butch) Melski and Brenda Costigan; her nephew, Connor Mclellan and beloved family dog, Chekhov.
She was fiercely proud of her children who were the focus of her life. Her kindness and humour will be greatly missed by the very many who knew and loved her. Bobbi was a firecracker, a fiercely independent spirit, and despite hard times she persevered and had a light and happiness that could not be surpassed. She was taken too soon.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by S.W. Chant and Son Funeral Home at 564 Alexandra St, with visitation on Friday, Feb. 26th from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Redeemer Church on Victoria Road on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m., followed by a reception to celebrate her life at the Polish Village Hall.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to help a refugee family. Bobbi’s time in Afghanistan made her very sympathetic to the ordeal of those affected by the war. She was also supportive of woman’s issues so a donation to Transition House in her name would be greatly appreciated.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of ....
