The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE sudden death of veteran educator and Ministry of Education deputy director Sandra Edgecombe this week is still painful for her colleagues, teachers and many students in Grand Bahama. 

“It is very hard for me to talk about right now,” School Superintendent Mary Cooper, a close friend and colleague of Mrs Edgecombe, told The Tribune yesterday. Grief counselling was offered to staff at the ministry.  Mrs Cooper described Mrs Edgecombe as an “educational leader extraordinaire”. “She had a big passion for her job and for education; she was a wonderful person and we will all miss her greatly,” she said.

Mrs Edgecombe is believed to have suffered a heart attack on Tuesday. She was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.  

Mrs Cooper has known Mrs Edgecombe for the past 40 years, their friendship dated back to teacher’s college. “She has been an example and a mentor for many of our young teachers, and a great mentor in the community of Grand Bahama,” she said. 

Mrs Cooper said the last time she saw her friend and boss was on Monday.  “She took us to breakfast at Bell Channel for a meeting … and to learn that on Tuesday morning she passed, it was really shocking and painful.”

Mrs Edgecombe served as principal of the Eight Mile Rock High School for many years, before being promoted to School Superintendent at the Ministry of Education and then as deputy director of the Northern Region.   

Eight Mile Rock school principal Ivan Butler said that news of her death was devastating. “There were cries, screams and sad faces. Teachers took the news very hard,” he recalled.

He said that Mrs Edgecombe will always be remembered as a proud Eight Mile Rock High School “Blue Jay”. “There is still mourning on our campus, concerns, comments and calls of condolences from the community. And we have just been blessed in the EMR to have had Mrs Edgecombe serve as principal.”

Community activist Rev Glenroy Bethel said Mrs Edgecombe’s death is a tremendous loss to education and the Grand Bahama community.

“She has contributed greatly to education and to this island, and I was disappointed that the news broadcast on Tuesday night made a brief mention of her passing. She has put in her time in education and has contributed a lot to our children and she was a gifted educator and leader.”