Condolences
Ann and Family: I was shocked to only learn this week of Evan's passing from a mutual friend. Evan and I worked for many years on Arctic and oil spill matters and he was always a kind, generous soul who was able not only to mentor but share a laugh with. He was a careful listener who offered his thoughts after reflection and always had time for a chat. I recall our many adventures travelling to several locations in the far north and elsewhere, working on various industry committees and talking about skiing. He brought a unique valued perspective and indeed as others have said, left the world a better place. I consider myself fortunate to have spent time with Evan and will miss him.
Peter Devenis
I am in shock over the passing of Evan. Although I didn't have the opportunity to work closely with him in Imperial Oil I did interact with him from time to time. I recall one time meeting him in Calgary airport. He was heading to Russia and I was going to Houston. Evan had a friendly and sincere personality and I always enjoyed my encounters with him.
My condolences to Ann and the family.
David Ellerington
My sincere condolences to Evan's family and Anne. I am very sorry for your loss. I am from Inuvik, Northwest Territories and worked with Evan with Mackenzie Gas Project and Beaufort Sea Exploration. Evan travelled to Inuvik many times over the years (sounds like he also was part of the 70-80's Beaufort boom too!). I very much enjoyed working with Evan. He had very thorough thoughts about ways to interpret a situation and provide his advice - opinions. They were always on the mark! He was very smart and I knew I could go to him for advice. And over the last couple years while we did not work so closely anymore he would check on me to see how my relocation to the South was. He was a very caring man and loved his family - beemed about his grandchildren and at the time I think he was taking them for pony rides (this was a couple years ago). It was an honor to know Evan and work with him. He will be missed. I have added a few photo's in the gallery. Thank you for sharing Evan with us and to read these memories is very special.
After reading Randy Ottenbreit’s comments I have to count myself amongst those that Evan mentored over the years. When I joined the Mackenzie Gas Project early on I relied heavily on Evan’s history in the north and regulatory knowledge. Even years later when I and my team were remediating Imperial’s former northern sites such as Tuk base and Tunuunuk Point Evan remained very interested in our progress and willing to help in any capacity with northern relationships. I so enjoyed his company, and his laugh, during many of our northern trips for the MGP consultations and regulatory hearings. There is an Inuit proverb that I can’t help think about with Evan and the stars that shine so brilliantly in the North; “perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy”. My sincere condolences to Evan’s family.
Ann and family, we are so sorry to hear of Evan's passing, he was a good person and always friendly when we met him on the walking path. Russ & Cathy Tait
I first met Evan after I joined Imperial in 1979 to support environmental and regulatory approvals work for the Norman Wells.
Project in the Mackenzie Valley.
He was the first biologist hired by Imperial Oil on May 20, 1971. This was after contract work on the 1970 Arrow tanker oil spill off Nova Scotia’s coastline. He was the environmental “guru” from head office until the family transferred to Calgary. There were only a few of us biologists in the industry at that time. You could always hear Evan’s loud deep voice in any setting. A sort of calming foghorn!
He was a founding member the International Society of Petroleum Biologists (SPIB) in 1976. That was a time when biologists were struggling to gain recognition as a profession. Evan chaired the Program Committee for SPIB’s eighth annual meeting and 1985 international conference on “Northern Hydrocarbon Development: Environmental Problem Solving”. SPIB helped advance professionalism in an industry that was traditionally dominated by engineers.
The profession of biologist finally gained regulated professional status in Alberta in 1991. The Alberta Society of Professional Biologists accomplished this achievement.
Evan was an original member of Imperial Oil’s National Emergency Team. NET was established in 1986 before the Valdez tanker spill. He and I were environmental “Fate and Effects” advisors. We were involved in training exercises and incidents all across Canada plus Valdez, Alaska.
Early this year he told me the story of his first year of work. He was hired as a fisheries biologist and first sent to Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela to assess environmental conditions for an Exxon affiliate. This happened just before his August 1971 wedding to Ann. She not amused! He then did a cross country tour of Imperial’s refineries to set up fish toxicity testing of effluent discharges. Next was the high arctic islands to oversee a cleanup of exploration wells that were drilled in late 60’s. That was when he found the remnants of redwood forest stumps on Axel Heiberg Island near one of the drill sites. He assumed that they were known but found out later that they were not “officially” discovered until 1980 (you can Google it). After that he began environmental work in the Mackenzie Valley and Delta to support petroleum exploration and development approvals.
He and I also shared Russian, Sakhalin Island experiences. One of his most memorable was the 1995 Neftegas earthquake that killed more than 2000 and injured another 1000 citizens. Only a memorial for the town exists now. At that time, he authorized Sakhalin authorities to use one of Exxon’s helicopters to get casualties to the hospital and save lives. He told me that he was just about fired for doing so, but proud for making that decision. That was so Evan: kind, honourable, caring and practical.
As we approach Halloween, I will dig out my NET “Fate and Effects” advisor name tag and remember Evan’s passing with regret, and admiration for his life and accomplishments.
My heartfelt condolences, to you Ann, and all the family.
Cal Sikstrom
When Evan started working in Russia in the early 1990s, I provided him administrative support. He explained that he would be traveling to places where invoices, credit cards and cheques were nonexistent . So, every time he left for Russia, Evan would have to take cash advances of thousands of US dollars. This was not a common business practice in Exxon! However, the results of Evan’s pioneering efforts were recognized when Exxon transferred him to Moscow in 1997.
Evan’s contributions to Imperial Oil’s northern experiences, processes, data, expertise and relationships were immeasurable. His passing leaves a significant hole in the company’s institutional knowledge of northern affairs
The list of people that Evan mentored on northern matters reads like a list of environmental luminaries.
Ann, my condolences. Evan’s passing was a shock. May you take strength knowing that Evan’s life truly made a positive difference to everyone he worked with, and that Evan died on his own terms - living at home until the end, with you by his side
Randy Ottenbreit
Evan was a kind, generous and trusted friend and will be missed by the McComiskey family. My husband, Jim and Evan had known one and other at Guelph University in the late 1960's and later met up in the 1980's in Calgary , both working in the Oil Industry. The families became great friends and a life-long friendship continues, we all miss Evan's kindness, generous spirit and
quiet manner.
On a visit to Moscow in 2001 , Ann and Evan were very hospitable and were informative tour guides . We missed them when they were in Moscow and were very happy to have them return so that the competition of Mexican Train, Hearts, Euchre, Wist and Rummy could start up again. When Evan and I were partners we never won, I blamed it on Evan being "left handed". Evan was in the process of writing a Russian based novel :No Left Turns" at the time of his passing.
People come into our lives for a reason ....So very happy that Evan's career brought the family from Ontario and they came into our lives, He is dearly missed but left all of us with forever memories.
Evan is my cousin.
When I was in Grade 7 and 8, my mother Majorie Boyle, and her sister Jean Birchard arranged for me to visit the Birchard farm in Oakwood for the summer. Evan and I would write stories, read comics, construct service stations, sing songs, ride bikes, and do a small amount of farm work. I stayed away from the pigs. On Labour Day, mom would come and retrieve me after we attended the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto with Carl, Jean and Evan.
Much later, I lived in Lake Bonavista, as did Evan. My kids were entering Boy Scouts and so I volunteered for fundraising, and so did Ann. Ann and I ran a fertilizer fundraising drive in the spring of 1984. There are about 2,500 homes in Lake Bonavista. It was so much work for both of us, that we both agreed never to do that again. The fertilizer drive was successful, except that, on the distribution day, I was unable to attend, because my son Michael was born that day. We still call him the fertilizer baby even though he is 37 years old. If you ever enter Lake Bonavista during a Boy Scout bottle drive, you will see the old-style milk bottles, made of plywood, announcing the bottle drive. Evan made those signs and they are still in use, 40 years later.
My condolences Ann, your children and grandchildren.
David Boyle
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