Obituary: Chris Edmunds

Adam Hewitt • Published 2 Feb 2010 09:00 0 Comments

CHRIS Edmunds, a rising star in local politics, has died aged 46.

Cllr Edmunds was leader of Earley Town Council and sat on Wokingham Borough Council as executive member for social care, launching the biggest transformation of that department in years.

He grew up in Merseyside and London and was a semi-professional chorister in his early years and still enjoyed classical music as an adult. He had a successful career in insurance for Axa, and was given a double promotion last year.

Cllr Edmunds had been unwell in recent weeks, but his sudden death on Friday last week came as a complete shock.

The Tory was devoted to his council work, following his election to the borough council in 2002 and town council the year before, and attended a meeting the night before his death. His friend and fellow councillor David Chopping said he would have made a fantastic MP and could have gone all the way to Westminster.

He added: "Everything he did, he did with such commitment."

Council leader David Lee said he would be "thoroughly missed", adding: "As a lead member for social care, Chris was a highly-respected councillor and much-liked by all who worked with him - both at the council and in Earley where he worked for his residents so diligently over many years."

He enjoyed cricket and owned a prized Triumph Stag - but friends said he barely took it out of the garage because he was so busy. He was also a former chairman of Maiden Erlegh Residents' Association, and represented the ward on the borough council.

Cllr Edmunds leaves wife Jane and three children, Jessica, seven, Oliver, 11 and Chris, who is in his 20s. A date will be set for his funeral in the next few days.

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