Zelma Beryl Edwards

Zelma Beryl (Harris) Edwards, age 97, went to her rest on May 15, 2025.  She was born on January 31, 1928 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, daughter of Edward and Vida Harris.  She had one brother, Roy, one year younger than her, who preceded her in death.  Zelma is survived by her children: Janelle (Ron), Paul (Linda), and Shane (Lisa), 3 grandchildren: Rob (Brittany), Angela (Kris), Ron (Kelsey), and 4 great-grandchildren.  She is the niece of Norman Wiles who was a pioneer missionary to Malekula in Vanuatu in the South Pacific Islands.

Zelma’s love of music began very early in her life.  In her words, “There were not recordings in those days, so if you wanted music, you had to make it yourself.”  So she started piano lessons at age 6.  Both her parents were self-taught musicians.  Family worship included her Mum playing the organ, her Dad playing the euphonium, Roy would play the cornet, and Zelma would play the piano.  Both Zelma and her Mum would sing together.  Zelma started playing for church at age 12.

Growing up on a large hatchery farm - 30,000 eggs per week - Zelma learned all aspects of raising chickens and running a business.  Mum went to Avondale College in 1948 and graduated in 1950 with a Diploma of Music.   She worked as a secretary in the Music Department, planned all the choir tours, and later taught music there.  Then she worked at the Voice of Prophecy office in Wahroonga, Sydney, while associated with 5 different choirs, two as director-the Red Cross V.A.D. Choir and a nurses’ choir from the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital in Wahroonga.

She was called back to Avondale in 1955 to be head of the Piano Department, teaching many college music subjects as well as piano, and deputy director of the Avondale Symphonic choir as well as a ladies’ choir.  Zelma also earned a Licentiate in Music from the Australian Music Examinations Board in Sydney. She met Rex Daniel Edwards at Avondale. They married in 1956 and were immediately involved in full time pastoral ministry in Queensland, Western Australia, and New South Wales.  While in Queensland, all three of their children were born.

After thirteen years of ministry in Australia, Rex and Zelma and family moved to England where they lived in Nottingham pastoring and running evangelistic meetings spending two summers at Newbold College where Rex worked on his master’s degree.

On October 30, 1970, they moved to the United States where they continued in pastoral ministry and running evangelistic meetings in Georgia, South Dakota and Pennsylvania.  Zelma was a faithful pastor’s wife teaching children’s Sabbath Schools, running cooking schools, and playing piano and organ wherever needed.  They spent the summers at Andrews University where Zelma was able to complete her BS degree in Music and Elementary Education.  She taught in a one room school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Then they moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she was able to achieve her master’s degree in Music Education from George Peabody Teachers’ College.  From there, they moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where she taught 8th grade World Civilizations, 9th grade Bible, 10th grade American History as well as Grades 1-6 music and Grades 7-10 choir at Greater Philadelphia Junior Academy.

In 1975 they moved again to Takoma Park, Maryland, where Zelma was asked to teach music and direct choirs at the Sligo Adventist School where she ministered for 31 years.  During that time she developed a classroom music program for grades K-8, started a five octave handbell choir and taught numerous piano lessons. Teaching music at Sligo was to her, “the most important part of my career.”

Zelma was also very involved at three local churches playing organ or piano–Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, Georgia Avenue Baptist Church for 24 years, and Burnt Mills Seventh-day Adventist Church till just last year.  Zelma’s life will be remembered for her unwavering devotion to her God, her family, and her church.  She was a true example of a humble servant who served only to praise her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to simply worship God through the gift of music.

A Memorial Service will begin at 4:30pm on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Burnt Mills Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 10915 Lockwood Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20901.  It will be live streamed at the Burnt Mills Seventh-Day Adventist You Tube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/BurntMillsSeventhdayAdventistChurch

“Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord from now on . . .

That they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”  Revelation 13:14