Geoff left us quietly at home on August 27, 2016. He was born November 19, 1927 in Winnipeg, grew up in West Vancouver, retired to Salt Spring Island, and spent his last years in Colwood with his daughter, Maureen. He is survived by his daughters Melody and Maureen and his son, Michael, daughter-in-law Samrawit and grandson Lucas.

Geoff had a good life. His wife Doreen, was a true partner, they loved each other, and showed it, until her passing in 2000. He had his health, sense of humor, family and wonderful friendships from childhood through work and retirement.

Geoff expressed his creativity best through his woodworking skills. From large projects like his log house, to beautifully crafted Winsor chairs. His projects had to be both useful and beautiful.

There are reminders of Geoff throughout the Island, and in his friends and family’s lives and homes.

Geoff’s ashes were spread on SSI by family, appropriately on St Patrick’s Day.

Rudy Siegers

April 15, 1937 – August 24, 2016

Rudy died peacefully on the 24th of August 2016 at 3:40pm, surrounded by the love of his family, both immediate and extended.

The sun will be dimmer without our brother, father and friend. Those who knew him well will recall the passion and commitment Rudy possessed in making manifest ‘heaven on earth’, his love for communing on the nature of our shared experience, and his playful exuberance. Those who didn’t could hardly miss his undeniably colourful persona (and wardrobe) often found dancing at the Saturday Market. We are sure Rudy would be disappointed that he left his body behind but hope he would be pleased that his ashes will be spread on the island that he loved so dearly.

We offer thanks to Lady Minto Hospital and SSI Hospice in his passing and to his communities for celebrating his life. And we offer these last words from the I-Ching (a source among many that Rudy found wisdom in), the hexagram Kên, associated with the date and time of his passing: Keeping still. Keeping his back still so that he no longer feels his body. He goes into the courtyard and does not see his people. No blame.

Anne Humphries (nee Griffiths)

October 26, 1944 – August 22, 2016

Beloved and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister & friend is survived by husband John, daughter Sara, son Jamie (Jennifer), granddaughters Ana, Eden, Sister Margot, Brothers David, Harry.

Born in Ottawa and raised in Victoria by parents June and Garth Griffiths, Anne met her husband John at UBC and married in 1967. She spent her adult life with John and her family in West Vancouver, Salt Spring Island and summers on Savary Island. Family, community, the arts, music & nature were Anne’s greatest passions. Her love, beauty, intelligence, grace and spirit will be profoundly missed by her family and friends.

Anne found life on Salt Spring to be rich and full and she found great contentment here. Among her contributions and interests were working on the archives at the Salt Spring Public Library, The Salt Spring Historical Society, being an advocate for the environment and all its species, including being a “Calendar Girl” to preserve and protect Salt Spring lands. Anne also participated with the Salt Spring Island Conservancy. She was an avid and skilled gardener and had a great love of the land. She also enjoyed her time with the University Women’s Club, as a member of the Salt Spring Island Farmers’ Institute, and swimming nearly every day at the pool and in Vesuvius Bay.

Anne set up a scholarship for graduating female students at GISS in memory of her great friend Ruby Alton. This Scholarship will now be in her name also and be part of her legacy.

The family would like to thank Anne’s sister Margot, our family & friends for their unyielding support, Dr. Puhky, Dr. Butcher, Anne’s nurses in palliative care and staff at Lady Minto Hospital (notably but not exclusive to: Angela (social work),  Angela, Annie, Cathy, Della, Jackie, Jeanette, Monica, Pia, Sherrie, Virginia) and Salt Spring Island Hospice for their loving and capable care in her final days.

Many sincere thanks also to the wonderful Salt Spring Island community as a whole, Dennis Maguire and family for your steady support, our wonderful Vesuvius neighbours, Ian Clement, Kathleen Horsdal, Barbara, Anne’s pool family, The Schmahs and Kim Elsser.

A celebration of Anne’s life will be held Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 at 1:30pm at Beaver Point Hall, 1361 Beaver Point Rd. Salt Spring Island, B.C. Potluck high tea. Donations for the Anne Humphries & Ruby Alton Scholarship can be made at the celebration.

Pauline Wilson

1926 – 2016

Polly died on August 18 at Lady Minto Hospital under the compassionate care of Dr. Crichton, the wonderful nursing staff and hospice volunteers. 

She had friends around the world and especially on Salt Spring.

Polly was the epitome of graceful aging. Despite almost constant pain in recent years she remained cheerful and when asked, ‘how?’ replied with a smile, “There’s no point in being anything else, is there?”

Born in England in 1926, she left school early during the war but she continued to observe and to learn all her life. She was interesting herself and always interested in others and was an avid reader.

In her early 30’s her adventurous spirit took her to  Kenya to work for a few years. Back in England she met her life-long friend Char and together they trained to be British Animal Nursing Auxiliaries, a three-year course sustained by her great love of animals. Together they sailed to Canada then crossed the country by train to settle on the West Coast. During a trip to the Yukon Polly found her true place in the world and returned to live there.

She and her partner, (the late John Lammers) lived for many years on the Pelly River, 27 miles from the nearest community, welcoming guests, running river trips and opening the eyes of visitors to the beauty and wildlife of the North.

After retiring to Salt Spring Polly took pleasure in long walks, her garden and her little Norfolk terrier, Minnie. As her mobility decreased she enjoyed tea with friends, crossword and jigsaw puzzles, a good game of scrabble, (if you weren’t too serious about it), and more reading.

As she said from her hospital bed shortly before she died, “I’ve had a good innings”.

Donations to the Lady Minto Hospital and Salt Spring Hospice would be much appreciated.

Condolences welcome at www.haywardsfuneral.com

Irina Borisovna Drobysheva

July 10, 1949 – August 17, 2016

Irina was born on a sunny Sunday, July 10th, in Berlin, to Borris Nikolaevich Drobyshev and Antonina Evanovna Drobysheva(Krasnova). Both parents survived WW2, met in Germany after the war and married there. They brought her, their first-born child, to Moscow in 1951.

She loved school, where she received a highly cultured education. She loved and craved travel but the first time she was allowed outside the USSR was in 1989, and this was the moment when she realized there was another world than the Soviet Union. The second trip was in 1991, reuniting with her grand-aunt in San Francisco and discovering North America.

In 1994 she moved from Moscow to Salt Spring Island, with her 8-year-old son Vassa. Ever since, she has loved this island and its people, especially how neighbourly and supportive they have been.

Irina was an experienced linguist, but professionally found her options limited on Salt Spring, so she took a course in Home Support which she did here at Malaspina, and at Camosun College.

She started doing home care help in 1995 and then worked with Home Support from 1997 – 2005. She was good at it, loved doing it, and knew she was appreciated. Irina loved people, always, and she may have had a different mentality from a different culture, but love is universal.

Irina Drobysheva leaves to mourn her mom Antonina Drobysheva, 93, of Moscow; her children Vassa Drobyshev, daughter Olga Demyanova, son-in-law Vasily Demyanov and grandsons Lev and Peter, of Edinburgh. She also leaves her lifelong friends, Ylena and Yves Gurvich of Moscow, Galina Filatova of Moscow, Gregory Nersesyan of Connecticut, and Alla Shnirelman of Québec. She also made many friends on Salt Spring in her years here: among them her close friend Usha Rautenbach; a lady who knows plenty of languages including Russian, and speaks it, Andrea Rankin; and ‘real Russian aristocracy’ Vera Kononoff. She also leaves her colleagues from Home Support, Jean Southgate and Suzanne Winters.

She is very grateful to the doctors she met who have kept her alive since 2005; Dr. Graham, brilliant surgeon Dr. Roy Preshaw, Dr. Haansie de Kock, doctors Jason Hart, oncologist from the Cancer Clinic in Victoria, and Dr. Ron Reznik who kept her alive for the last 6 years ‘artificially’, giving her the last 6 years of her life; and Dr. Butcher and Dr. Crichton during her final stay in Lady Minto Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Cancer Research Society or Lady Minto Hospital, are greatly appreciated.

Norman B. Irwin

Aug. 8, 1938 – Aug. 9, 2016

Norman died unexpectedly Aug. 9, 2016 on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

Born August 8, 1938 in Timmins, Ontario, he grew up in London, Ontario. He attended Sir Adam Beck High School, graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Ontario and was an officer in the RCAF reserve.

He was married to his high school sweetheart Dorothy Vowles, a registered nurse in 1962.

Norm served as Chief Financial Officer for Biltmore Industries and later for Compassion of Canada where he had the opportunity to combine his skills with his passion for God and love of travel.

A lifelong learner, Norm earned his Masters of Divinity in 1994 and taught at Peace River Bible College in Alberta before settling in Saltspring Island, B.C.

Norm generously donated his time and skills to numerous church, missions and community organizations. He brightened all our lives with his quick wit and sense of humour.

He will be greatly missed by his wife Dorothy, their three children and nine grandchildren, Sean (Karen), Joshua, Caleb, Hannah and Sarah; Patrick (Kim) and Matthew; Colleen (Bob) Arthur, Jaspar, Maxwell and Freddy.

Service is Saturday, August 13 at 2:00 PM at Salt Spring Island Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers a donation to the Gideons (PO Box 3619, Stn. Main, Guelph, ON N1H 9Z9) would be appreciated.

Lee Evans

Jan. 16, 1930 – Aug. 8, 2016

Lee Evans passed away quietly on August 8th surrounded by family and caregivers in the comfort of her own home at Heritage Place.  

Lee was much loved for her vivacious personality, her creativeness and kindheartedness. She had a great life and sought always to give back of her many blessings in ways large and small.  

Lee was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1930 in times of racial strife and depression, both of which left an impact on her.  While she was in many ways a Southern Belle, she chose to leave the South after gaining a degree in teaching. Going on service projects with the Methodist church, she first taught in Cuba (Pre Castro) and then to the favellos of  Brazil for 3 years. In Brazil she met her beloved husband, Sam, an Englishman. They decided to make a home in Vancouver where Sam began work with BC Tel.  Lee and Sam grew their family and their large base of friends in towns around BC as Sam was relocated with his work.  Lee worked as a teacher in Prince George and later, earned her graduate degree in Special Education. She worked with mentally handicapped youth at the Variety Farm in Ladner until her retirement. On Salt Spring Island she volunteered for a number of years with Smiles Cafe getting to know and love many island characters.  

Lee and Sam built a home on Saltspring in the 70s and retired there in 1981, enjoying many special friendships with neighbours ‘up the hill’, United Church members and many others. In the mid 80’s, with their family grown and busy with their own lives, Lee and Sam again offered their services to development work overseas, volunteering to manage a trade school for 3 years in Liuli, a remote village in Tanzania. That’s where Lee got the title ‘Mama Lee’ which stuck with her ever since. They served with CESO in Kenya for several months and again in educational administration for 2 years in Parnamarin in Northern Brazil in the early 90s. Everywhere they went Lee immersed herself in the life of women in the community, starting up sewing collectives and other ventures to empower and improve their lives and those of their children. In 1997 Lee lost her soulmate Sam and soldiered on bravely, keeping up with growing grandchildren, the Baha’i community that she became part of, and projects supported from home. Her most recent service was making soups with the Baha’i youth for the “In from the cold” program.

Lee is survived by her sister Nellie Tiller, her children – Carol Evans (and Bryn King), Neal Evans (and Peg Evans) and Peggy Evans (and Bob Fuller) and grandchildren Max, Frank, Wylie and Natalie.

A memorial service is to be held in October, to be announced.

Joseph (Wayne) Moise Fraser

June 13, 1953 – August 4, 2016

It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved Husband, Son, Brother, Step Father, Grandfather and friend Wayne.

Wayne passed away suddenly while walking the Lethbridge, Alberta coulees on a bright beautiful sunny day.

Wayne loved the West Coast’s oceans and mountains, was an avid sailer, hiker, biker and skier. Tai Chi practice became an essential part of his daily life.

Anyone that was in Wayne’s presence always felt his compassion, humility, and generosity. He was truly an example of the power of the human spirit. He will be deeply missed by his family and his friends.

Donations on Waynes behalf can be made at the Lethbridge Alberta Police Services, Search and Rescue and Victim Services.

Zelda Maggen

September 15, 1926 – August 1, 2016

Zelda passed away peacefully on Monday Aug. 1st surrounded by family just shy of her 90th birthday. She will be missed and lovingly remembered by all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Much gratitude and thanks to all of the staff, the Home Support staff and the volunteers at Braehaven who took such good care of her over the years and made living there so enjoyable for her. As well as to all the hospital staff who quietly and kindly cared for her on many occasions and to Dr. Reznick, Kelly-Ann, Andrea & Ian for making her last days as comfortable and peaceful as possible.

There will be a private family service and according to Zelda’s wishes, her ashes will be scattered at sea.