JOHN EVANS

February 21, 1931 - January 11, 2025 Born in Wolverhampton to Edith and Charlie, John attended Sebright School before receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship to study agriculture at McGill's Macdonald College. During his time in Montreal, John shared a house with several young men who became lifelong friends and recurring characters in his many amusing anecdotes. After graduation in 1952, he enlisted with the RCAF part-time, flying Harvards, T-33s and F-86s at Gimli, Manitoba. When he chose not to pursue flying as a profession, a friend suggested John apply to a Toronto brokerage firm. A charming British accent and a university degree got him the job. While there he married Hannelore Fricker. In 1955, they moved west, where John opened the first Greenshields Vancouver office. John and his young family (sons, Oliver and Chuck) spent many summers in the village of Bamfield, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. He fulfilled a lifelong dream there, of recreating a traditional Welsh Stone Cottage, with a copper-clad fireplace, heirloom furnishings, etc. When he retired, he moved there full-time, where his cottage became somewhat of a social centre. John was a passionate chef, and a consummate raconteur. Morning coffee with a tot of South African brandy became a regular habit for many. He would entertain locals and visitors, telling and retelling his amusing stories with a drink in his hand and a cigarette smoldering nearby in a saucer. These stories always checked out with Google, but were often politically incorrect. He loved his Dachshunds, good books, '40s music, and woodworking. He made a delicious Bongo Bongo soup, and excellent pastry. An avid photographer with his own darkroom, John's black and white portraits are an excellent record of Bamfield's characters and early days. He loved a bargain, especially from SURF, the UBC surplus sales, and from the Sally Ann, where he was a lifelong patron. He is survived by his son, Oliver (Cheryl); and granddaughters, Erica and Laura. If you wish to join a memorial in Vancouver on February 21st or in Bamfield closer to the summer, please email olivercatalina@shaw.ca.