Edwina Christine Smith

Edwina Christine Chamberlin Smith (Wendy) passed into eternal rest on November 15, 2023 at her home in Lake Charles it Port Saint Lucie, Florida. She was ninety six years old. Born in Norwich, East Anglia, England to Edward L Chamberlin and Ethel S. Chamberlin, she resided in her birthplace until 1942, attending The Notre Dame School.

Having survived the Battle of Britain, she and her mother were transported to join her father in New York, a British Naval Officer, whose vessel was torpedoed and lost. She continued her education at The Marymount School and attended Marymount College before returning to Norwich after WWII ended.

Wendy continued and completed her education at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Returning to England and being multi lingual, she became author lan Fleming's assistant when he was the international correspondent for the McGraw Publishing Company in London. It was during this time that he was writing his first novel. When the novel was complete and published, he wrote on the first page of a first edition copy of Casino Royale and thanked Wendy for her help in "the birth pangs" .

Her first love was sailing on the Norfolk Broads and she left London and went back to Norwich to resume competitive sailing. She often sailed in the North Sea with her father and mother. She loved the sea and its challenges.

Marriage to Raymond Conin, a French national, brought her back to France and ultimately, an Administrator at the International Court of Arbitration. She retired and traveled with Raymond until he passed on suddenly after twenty six years of their marriage. She returned to the Norfolk Broads and sailing.

Several years later, Wendy was invited to attend the ordination of the son of her deceased life long friend Patricia Smith where she met and later married Patricia's husband Joseph. They were married for twenty five years on her passing.

For the first ten years Wendy and Joseph resided in Norfolk and Tivoli, New York. She was delighted to be with her sailing friends and continued her lifelong membership In the Norwich Frostbite Sailing Club and the North Norfolk Yacht Club. In New York she did paintings of the Hudson River Valley and near by Mountains and became a docent at historical estates.

Wendy loved to help children and wrote about them. She loved teaching them as a catechist in her Church and served as a lector and lay minister of the Eucharistic. She was a very humble and dedicated Christian.

Wendy is survived by Joseph, four stepchildren and many step grandchildren.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycockportstlucie.com for the Smith family.