Edna Garner was born 10 April 1929 as Edna Jean Ramsden to Charles Edward and Lena Ramsden, in Wellington, New Zealand. Her parents were both from Yorkshire, England, and immigrated to New Zealand. Edna grew up in the hilly Wellington suburb of Vogeltown, the youngest of four children - Edward (“Ted”) (and Natalie) Ramsden, Euphan Hirst (and William (“Bill”)) Craven, and Ian Walter (and Ellen) Ramsden.
Edna married David McNiven Garner at Trinity Methodist Church, Newtown, Wellington on 22 June 1949. Together they raised a family of three - Mary Ann Garner, John David Garner and Steven James Garner.
Initially trained as a primary teacher in 1951 in Wellington, Edna first taught at Berhampore Primary School in Wellington. The family then lived in New York from 1958 through 1961, while David Garner completed post-graduate oceanographic studies at New York University. Edna was a member of the Chester Hill Methodist Church, Mount Vernon, New York (now First United Methodist Church).
Upon returning to New Zealand, Edna worked as a primary teacher at Island Bay School in Wellington. Edna was a pianist, and played the pipe organ at Island Bay Methodist Church.
The family then lived in Canada from 1968 through 1971, where David Garner worked at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Nova Scotia. The family lived in Lakeview, Nova Scotia, and attended the Bedford United Church. During this time in Nova Scotia, Edna worked as a teacher, where she first became aware of the special needs of deaf children.
Returning to New Zealand in 1971, Edna taught at Westmere School in Auckland. Edna was a member of St. Austell’s Church in New Lynn, Auckland, where she was organist. Following specialist training, she taught at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre and together with her colleague Nola Dickey championed the “total communication” approach. Edna was motivated to begin a pastoral care programme and re-established a deaf Christian fellowship.
Edna began work at the Balmoral Deaf Centre in 1980, moving to the Aotea Chapel of the Methodist Mission Northern in 1983. The fellowship continues to meet there. In 1985, Edna stood on a soap-box at the annual Methodist Conference, and harangued a lunch-time crowd, claiming rights for deaf people in the life of the church. Edna offered for training as a Methodist Minister and was ordained in 1987.
Rev Garner authored Indelible Imprints, An Introduction To The World Of Deaf Ministry, exploring some of the story behind her ministry with the deaf community, as well as giving practical advice to hearing people on how to understand the struggle of deaf people to find a voice.
Edna Garner passed away 30 April 2016 at the Bupa Northhaven Hospital & Northhaven Retirement Village, Red Beach, New Zealand. Edna is survived by her three children, seven grand-children and four great-grandchildren.