Gill was born in Dunoon, Scotland. Her father was in the Royal Naval Reserves, serving on a ship anchored in the Kyle of Bute. After the war her parents settled in Cheltenham. They were both state registered chiropodists with a practice in St George’s Place, near the Promenade. Her brother Tony was born there. Gill and Tony started their education at Pate's Junior School progressing to the girls' school in 1955 and the boys' school in 1956 respectively.

Gill enjoyed sport and gained her ‘colours’ for tennis, netball and gymnastics. She left school in 1961 with 6 ‘0’ levels. The next year was spent at the North Gloucestershire Technical College, to study a secretarial course, prior to taking up a place at the old Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. Whilst at the Radcliffe, she was (at a very early age) appointed a ward sister. Her next training was a six- month midwifery course at the North Middlesex Hospital.

She had planned to work in Canada, but having met ‘the love of her life’, this plan was cancelled, and she married Michael Bull in 1967 at Christchurch. Mike’s career took them to Tiverton in Devon where Gill became involved with the setting up of local playgroups, tutoring pre-school courses and eventually obtaining a teaching degree at Plymouth University. This led to a successful teaching career at East Devon College of Further Education in Tiverton, training future nursery nurses. Meanwhile she had given birth to three daughters, so a very busy life!

In 2015 Mike and Gill retired to Glossop, Derbyshire, where their three married daughters now lived. Gill was instrumental in helping to bring up her five grandchildren. She joined in with community events in her new town and was a popular member of U3A, family history and art groups and enjoying life to the full in an apartment in a converted mill.

Sadly in 2021 she first encountered signs of dementia, which took a cruel and inexorable toll over the next four years. Mike, the girls and grandchildren all helped to nurse her through this distressing time.

Gill was always so cheerful, kind and helpful. She and Mike had a deep love of the Lake District, spending two weeks every November at their timeshare in Langdale. Her descendants have been left a wonderful legacy of a truly devoted mother; full of warmth and love.

Her memorial service, held in Glossop on 7th April 2025 was attended by some 124 people plus her husband Mike, three daughters, Alison, Claire and Helen, five grandchildren, Jacki, Seb, Ellie, Poppy and Isla, and two old Pates friends!

Gill Edmonds 10th June 1944 – 11th March 2025