The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Local author working on book of stories from Edna Staebler‘s friends and fans dna Staebler met hunâ€" Edreds â€" _ possibly thousands â€" of people during her century of life. As author Nancy Silcox puts it, "You never just met Edna once. You went back again and again, and became her friend." Silcox, who knew the late literary favourite for the last five years of her life, feels blessed to have been conâ€" sidered one of Staebler‘s friends. She met Staebler in 2001 when Silcox was writing her first book, Roads of the Heart, featuring 50 people with roots in Waterloo region who had taken risks in their lives. ‘Edna‘s Circle‘ "The mother of another person in the book suggestâ€" ed I include Edna â€" she knew her," Silcox said. "I didn‘t know her at all then. I knew she was living in the area, and 1 knew she was a celebrity. But I didn‘t know her. "Honestly, I was a little intimidated. It‘s silly, but I "She looked at her milk calendar â€" her personal secretary â€" and made time for me," Silcox said. Her nervousness didn‘t last long. _ _ "I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to know her as well as I did." And she‘s looking for othâ€" ers who feel the same way. All, however, are sharing their impressions of the author who built her career on writing articles for publiâ€" cations such as Maclean‘s magazine before hitting it big with her bestâ€"selling Mennonite cookbooks â€" the Food That Schmecks Silcox is in the midst of scripting her second book, honouring Staebler through the eyes of those who knew her. Some of her subjects saw Staebler almost every day until she died last year, while others may have only seen her every few years. By Anogrea Baicey _ Chronicle Staff Local writer Nancy Silcox included a chapter on wellâ€"known author Edna Staebler in her first book, Roads of the Heart, which was published in 2002. Silcox is now working on her second book, which she hopes to fill with stories about Staebler from her friends and fans. To share a story about Staebler, email Silcox at silcox@goiden.net. "While I was visiting with Edna one day, she menâ€" tioned that Pierre Burton had dropped by. 1t was never said in a bragging way; that was just her life. "I told Edna that someâ€" one should write a book on all of the people who called on her. She thought it was a great idea." Unfortunately, Silcox said, the concept was put on the backburner for the next few years. In the meantime, Staeâ€" bler became frail, and moved from her Sunfish Lake residence into a Waterâ€" loo retirement home, where she died. "After she died, 1 started CITY NEWS reading all of the tributes that people were writing about Edna in the newspaâ€" per, and that‘s when 1 remembered my book idea," "It‘s become a composite portrait, painted with the brushstrokes of the people who knew her," Silcox said. The initial thought of finding those people, howâ€" ever, was slightly overâ€" whelming, the writer said. But it‘s become so much more than a book on visits. "I‘ve divided her life into three _ categories: the Maclean‘s years, the cookâ€" book years and her elderly years," Silcox explained. "From there, i came up with a list of people 1 thought "I got a letter from (author) June Calilwood, who‘d written back on beauâ€" tiful stationary â€" using a typewriter," Silcox said. Callwood then called Silâ€" would be appropriate to talk to." As a personal touch, Silâ€" cox mailed letters to those she believed would have some good "Edna stories," and anxiously waited for a response. The first one that came nearly knocked Silcox aver. cox and shared her favourite memory of Staebler. "Edna had taken June as her guest to a Mennonite luncheon out in the boonies of Waterloo Region in the 1950s sometime," Silcox Since then, Silcox has also heard from others including Janet Bérton.. said. "June had never met Old Order Mennonites before, and her memories of the day were very sharp." But she‘s also interested in hearing from those who may not be well known, but crossed paths with Staeblet. "I‘m asking everyone the same question: what made Edna special?" Silcox said. The writer said those with celebrity profiles have been relatively easy to think of and track down. "So far everyone has a different way, and a unique story." Silcox‘s favourite tale so far has come from a lady WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, March 14, 2007 * 3 Ti MUuMPMY PMOTO who grew up next to Staeâ€" bler when she and her husâ€" band lived on Simeon Street in Kitchener. "She told me that she knew ‘Mrs. Staebler,‘ and that she was absolutely wonderful," Silcox said. "She told me that Edna kept track of all of the children‘s birthâ€" days in the neighbourhood and would host a birthday party for each of them. And we‘re not talking little parâ€" ties; she held formal lunchâ€" eons, and took the children out on birthday outings. "This was wonderful." Silcox is looking for about 10 more similar anecâ€" dotes to round out her "It‘s the unknown people â€" her fans â€" that 1‘d like to hear from," Silcox said. "The stories that I don‘t know are the ones I want to hear about. "She had a tight circle of about three or four people, and then another circle that was a little bigger, then another that was a little bigâ€" ger yet, and so on...," Silcox "I‘m looking for as many of those people as I can find." Silcox hopes reading what others thought of Edna will make those who were closest feel like her spirit is still alive and well. "I‘ve met people who‘ve told me that they‘d make sure they told Edna if someâ€" thing interesting happened to them," she said. "I‘m sure it takes some getting used to, knowing that person isn‘t there anymore. "Edna was more beloved than anyone I‘ve ever known. She had a very large circle of friends." That description has inspired the book‘s title: Edna‘s Circle. She‘d like to finish the book by this Christmas. "I want to keep those memories alive for Edna‘s Those who met Staebler and would like to share a story can email Silcox at silcox@golden.net.