Edmond Sutherland (OW 1957)

18 August 1937 – 22 June 2025

The Waynflete Office has been sadly informed of the death of Edmond Sutherland, aged 87, by his wife Sheila and close friend John Leighfield (OW 1957).

We send our deepest condolences to Edmond’s family and friends and are grateful to his family for sharing the below tribute:

Edmond was a family man, a scientist, a reader, a writer, an artist and a musician. He attended Magdalen College School from 1949-1957 and afterwards read Medicine at Magdalen College, Oxford. Following postgraduate training and research, Edmond was appointed as Consultant Psychiatrist and postgraduate clinical tutor at Birmingham University. He retired from psychiatry in 1985 and studied Fine Art for several years which culminated in a well-received one-man exhibition in Oxford.

Edmond loved a good read. He and Sheila would always take a few novels on their holidays abroad, read the same ones and then talk about them. True crime was one of his favourite genres, so it’s hardly surprising that this was the genre of his own trilogy, Watching, Withstanding and Waiting. Among the criminal and espionage elements, there was always slapstick and humour shining through – including the names of his dog Walter and cat Fred as minor characters!

I want to pay special tribute to Edmond’s artistic flair. He enjoyed many years of art classes with local artist David Holmes, and produced countless pieces, some abstract, some impressionist, some mixed media. He always had an art project prepared for the grandchildren when they came to visit. Yet, he never sold his work. The closest he came to it was back in 2001, when he mounted a one-man exhibition at his alma mater, Magdalen College School, in aid of the school foundation – such was the generosity of the man.

Edmond was also a jazz pianist and learned piano at an early age. He was a member of a jazz band all through his medical studies at Oxford. Edmond was a jazz man at heart, and continued to play piano for pleasure throughout his life

During his school days, Edmond was present at Roger Bannister’s breaking of the 4-minute mile in Oxford in 1954 – pictured in the newspaper along with all the others gathering round to congratulate him. It was a landmark moment.

Edmond loved his holidays overseas with Sheila. India stands out particularly, especially getting close up with the elephants. Later on, when travel abroad became trickier, Edmond enjoyed holidays in the UK and Brighton was a favourite. They would stay in a hotel with a balcony overlooking the seafront, and they would read their books and enjoy lovely meals.

When the family gathered together, there would be a lunch out somewhere. Edmond always paid the bill, no arguments. Such was the generosity of the man, and the joy he derived from seeing Sheila surrounded by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.