Greater Victoria has lost a prominent community figure and local historian.
Gregory Mark Evans died on Dec. 3 at the age of 66. He was born in Nanaimo, and lived most of his life in Victoria. He was well known for his depth of knowledge on local history and on beer and brewing.
Evans attained a masterB次元官网网址檚 degree in economic history with a thesis on the history of brewing beer in B.C. from the University of Victoria.
He started his career at the Royal BC Museum before serving as the executive director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, then the Maritime Museum of BC, and most recently as an archivist for the Township of Esquimalt.
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B次元官网网址淗e was fun, and he had a wicked sense of humour, and was great story teller,B次元官网网址� said Sherri Robinson, who worked with him at the Archives for seven years. B次元官网网址淗e had such an absolute knowledge of thingsB次元官网网址t was really wonderful to see his interaction with people coming in, and to watch the wheels turn in his head as he prepared the answers.B次元官网网址�
Evans also always kept active in the B.C. beer scene by giving keynote speeches at beer events, leading beer-themed adventures with Maple Leaf Tours, or advising Victoria beer events.
B次元官网网址淕reg was a very gentle man with a huge passion for the history of beer and brewing in the Victoria area. He devoted much time to this pursuit and I believe he was writing a book about that history,B次元官网网址� said Gerry Hieter, executive director of the Great Canadian Beer Fest. B次元官网网址淔or a man who went about things so quietly, he was always promoting something that had to do with beer. He used to consult with me on which food and beer pairings would work for one of his ventures. He will be missed.B次元官网网址�
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Victoria Beer Week organizer and author of Craft Beer Revolution, Joe Wiebe, also worked closely with Evans after he first turned to him for knowledge, and soon formed a friendship.
B次元官网网址淗e was very charismatic and very down to Earth,B次元官网网址� Weibe said. B次元官网网址淗e was a very entertaining speaker, I was always excited to hear him talk.B次元官网网址�
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Wiebe said EvansB次元官网网址� health had first started turning over a year ago, though he didnB次元官网网址檛 know why.
B次元官网网址淗e didnB次元官网网址檛 share what was going on, but I met him for lunch recently and he looked like heB次元官网网址檇 aged,B次元官网网址� Wiebe said.
Weibe said that just days before he died they had spoken on the phone and planned for an upcoming lunch meeting.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 losing a great friend, but just as sad is that the community is losing an amazing resource,B次元官网网址� Wiebe said.
Evans is survived by his father, Frank, his wife Susan, daughter Machala and step-children Ben and Natalie, and grandson Gabriel.
A celebration of life will be held at SpinnakerB次元官网网址檚 Brewpub at 308 Catherine St. on Saturday, January 19 at 1 p.m. (for more information, you can visit the ). Donations can also be made in his memory to the B次元官网网址淕regory Evans Memorial ScholarshipB次元官网网址� through the History Department at the University of Victoria.
nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com
