Beverley Evans

On Tuesday February 18, I lost my one true love when Bev Evans (Campbell) succumbed to the ravages of cancer.

Beverley Ann Campbell was born on May 1, 1947, in Saskatoon. Her father, John Norman (Jack) Campbell was an Airforce Veteran from Kindersley, SK and her mother, Marjorie Campbell (Thompson), was a War Bride from South Shields, located at the mouth of the Tyne River in Northumberland, England. Bev's early years were spent growing up in Community Apartments, a communal housing complex for returning WWII veterans. She attended Caswell School until the family moved into their brand new house in the Avalon Neighbourhood and she transferred to John Lake School. In 1961, Bev started high school at Aden Bowman Collegiate where she met her future husband, Allan Evans.

We met in the parking lot of the shopping centre across from Bowman and I was instantly smitten. And for good reason, as one of our younger friends recently said, " What I remember is how all of us grade nine boys at ABCI were smitten beyond words with her beauty. " She was beautiful, inside and out. We were married on Valentines Day and shared our love for 55 years and 4 days.

As a young girl, Bev studied dancing with Lucia Pavlychenko. While this did not lead to a career, it did lead to her becoming a cheerleader in high school, and to the can-can line at the Blue Garter Saloon during Pion-Era, an annual festival held at the Western Development Museum when it was located on 11th Street West. The dance troupe also travelled around the province entertaining folks at various events.

After high school, Bev took a book keeping course and worked for several local companies until the kids were born. It was while raising the family that she discovered a talent for decorating. This led her to work in paint & wallpaper, flooring, and furniture stores. She spent the last two decades of work at Furniture World where she had a multitude of customers that she loved working with.

Her family and her home were the centre of Bev's life. When the kids were young, she stayed home to be there for them. She gave gym classes at the school. She helped in the classroom and provided rides to their activities. She even coached Jennifer's softball team. She was my rock. She supported me in my work and volunteer activities, be it through Kinettes, Folkfest, the River Roar or the Sport & Fitness Council. She shared in the good times and was there to pick me up during the troubled times. When her parents grew old and needed help to stay in their home, she took an early retirement to be there for them.

Her grandson, William, was the apple of her eye. And when he moved to England with his mom & dad, she was consoled by our visits to see him. Those were some of the happiest times of her life and she cherished them. It was during one of those visits we travelled north to her mother's home town and visited her Uncle Alf, whom she had never met in person. That was important to her because she never really got to know her mother's family.

Needless to say, I will miss her beyond words. Bev will also be missed by our daughter Jennifer (Patrick) Rengger of Calgary, son Jordan, and grandson William Rengger. And her siblings: brother John (Cathi) Campbell of Naples, Florida, and sister Carol Lindsay of Saskatoon. She is also survived by niece Katlyn (Alex) Diss of Hoboken, New Jersey, nephews Taylor Lindsay, Brett (Olivia) Lindsay of Saskatoon, and John Brewer of Denver, Colorado. Plus my brother Garth (Laurie) Evans, and nieces Erin (Ryan) Glover and Kelly Sikorski.

Bev was predeceased by her father Jack Campbell, mother Marjorie (Thompson), in-laws Jim and Evelyn Evans all of Saskatoon, her Aunt Cal Campbell of Calgary and her Uncle Alf Thompson of South Shields, England.

The family and I want to thank the nurses and health professionals from Palliative Home Care who were wonderful and gave her such good care for so many months. Special thanks to her nurse practitioner, Heather who stepped in to help direct her care after her family doctor retired. And, of course, to the angels at St. Paul's Hospital Palliative Care Unit who provided so much love and comfort to Bev on her final journey. At Bev's request their will be no funeral.