Edward Downes after his health declined following a hip replacement. Lady Downes was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer that metastasised to her liver, and given only weeks to live. Lady Downes wrote a letter to family explaining that she had decided against treatment and that: Sir Edward, aged 85, and Lady Downes, aged 74, ended their lives by assisted suicide at the Dignitas clinic in Zürich, Switzerland, on 10 July 2009. Although Joan did not want the children present, Dignitas encouraged it and "Ted and Joanie" were reported to be pleased when the time came. Their children issued a statement speaking of
Sir Edward Kerrison, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Kerrison, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Clarence Kerrison, 2nd Baronet (2 January 1821 – 11 July 1886) was a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for the borough of Eye. Kerrison was the eldest son of General Sir Edward Kerrison, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Martha Ellice. He was born at The Wick, Brighton in 1821. He married Lady Caroline Margaret Fox-Strangways, daughter of Henry Fox-Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester, on 23 July 1844, but had no children. He succeeded his father in 1852 as Member of Parliament for the borough of Eye and as