Stephen E. Edwards
Stephen Earle Edwards, formerly of Swarthmore, died of complications related to Parkinson’s disease on November 30, 2021, in Media. He was 77.
Born on March 29, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, Steve was the son of J. Earle Edwards, Jr., and Marjorie VanDeusen Edwards. The Edwards family moved to Swarthmore in 1951. Steve graduated from Swarthmore High School in 1962 and attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where he majored in economics and especially enjoyed writing sports articles for the Earlham Post. After graduating in 1966, Steve joined the Peace Corps and spent three years in Nepal. Looking back on his experience many years later, Steve wrote, “Learning about a different culture is best done by immersing oneself in that culture, which the Peace Corps certainly does. Learning the language, learning what the customs allow and don’t allow, eating the food, celebrating the holidays, etc., contribute to broadening oneself in ways previously unimaginable.”
Steve next spent seven years in Bangkok, Thailand, working as a journalist and teacher. He was an associate editor of The Bangkok World, an assistant editor of Bangkok World Sunday Magazine, and the managing editor of TV and Entertainment Weekly. (He became briefly famous on September 28, 1970, when his morning paper was the first one to report that Gamal Abdel Nasser had died—a feat that was possible only because Steve had still been at work at 3 a.m. that morning when the news broke.) Steve also taught English in Thailand—to monks at Buddhist University, to members of the Thai Air Force, and to students at the American University.
While working in Bangkok, Steve met Joy Rosa, a Thai native with four children from a previous marriage. They married and had another child.In 1976, Steve brought his new family to Swarthmore, planning only to visit—but they wound up staying. (Between growing up in Swarthmore and moving back there to live in 1976, Steve resided in Swarthmore for nearly 50 years.) Not long after their arrival, Steve joined Seybold Publications (as the company’s first employee who was not a Seybold family member), at a time when the world of typesetting, printing, and publishing was at the beginning of a revolution that would change the printing and publishing industry forever. During his decades with Seybold, Steve was there to report on it all. He helped make The Seybold Report on Publishing Systems the “bible” of the new industry that grew up around computer-based printing and publishing equipment.
Steve was an indefatigable reporter. At trade shows, he would hustle from one booth to another, getting interviews, asking questions, and obtaining demonstrations of interesting-looking pieces of equipment. Everyone in the industry seemed to know Steve. As the Seybold organization grew, Steve quickly became the primary editor of The Seybold Report. He was meticulous in his editing, querying questionable assertions, and gently but firmly correcting grammar. He frequently pulled all-nighters in the office in order to get the latest industry news into print. Well-known for his impeccable editorial skills, Steve was awarded the prestigious McMillan Award for Editorial Excellence in 2000. Steve was also appreciated for his interpersonal skills, his wise guidance, and his obvious concern for all his co-workers. Steve worked at Seybold until he retired in 2003.
Steve and Joy proudly watched their children learn English, graduate from Swarthmore and Strath Haven high schools, and go on to acquire the additional education and skills they needed to succeed in their new country. Marriages and grandchildren soon began arriving. All five of Steve’s children settled close enough to Swarthmore that he was able to see them often. He especially enjoyed babysitting and attending the various activities of his grandkids. In his spare time, Steve was an avid reader of The New York Times, enjoyed cooking Thai food, watching baseball games, and listening to his favorite rock and country music (especially from the 1950s).
When his parents moved to a retirement community in Kennett Square, Steve devoted much time and energy to visiting with them and making sure they were well looked after. He was an eager participant in all extended family gatherings, even after his health began making daily activities more challenging. In 2018, Steve moved to Riddle Village, where he received care and support as his Parkinson’s progressed. Many of Steve’s former Peace Corps and Bangkok colleagues had remained his lifelong friends. When they learned that Steve had become seriously ill, they promptly sent him letters sharing precious memories and letting him know how much they had appreciated working with him.
Steve was predeceased by his wife, Joy Edwards. He is survived by his five children, Giap (Alison) Edwards, Jow Edwards (Thierry Lesparre), Apburn (William) Maitland, Angune (Merline) Edwards, and Joe (Alyse) Edwards; six grandchildren, Annie, Aly, Julie, Stephen, Leah, and Samantha; five great grandchildren, Vinny, Sadie, Sawyer, Vanessa, and Sophia; and three siblings, David (Sasha) Edwards, Barbara (Bernard) Banet, and Janet (George) Alexander.
A Celebration of Life to honor Steve will be held at a later date so that family and friends may gather together in person. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (https://www.michaeljfox.org), an organization that Steve was involved with for many years.
