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May 31, 1924 ~ December 9, 2015

Mrs. Evelyn May Johnston (nee Mitchell), 91, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2015 at Comox Valley Seniors Village, in Courtenay, BC.

Evelyn was born May 31, 1924 in Edmonton, Alberta, where, during her schooling she was introduced to art which was to become her lifelong joy.

In 1948 Ev moved from Victoria, BC to Yellowknife, NWT following her first husband, Lorne Sykes, who was prospecting with her father, Alex Mitchell. Here she made long time friends as an early member of the Daughters of the Midnight Sun. It was also in Yellowknife that Ev met her second husband, Bill Johnston.

Ev worked as a teaching assistant at William MacDonald School until 1978 when she retired with Bill and their son Graham to the Comox Valley where she enjoyed family visits, numerous friends, hiking, pottery, and painting in various media. Her artistic accomplishments included several independent showings of her work, the design and overseeing of the four sided mosaic at Comox Airport and the receipt of an honourary degree from The North Island College.

Evelyn was predeceased by her husband, Bill, on March 3, 1991; by her parents, Alexander and Gladys (Harris) Mitchell; an infant sister; and stepson, Douglas Johnston.

Surviving Evelyn is her sister, Dorothy Meiklejohn of Edmonton; her daughters Penelope (John) Shapperd of Golden, BC; Cheryl Franceschi of Calgary, AB; and Heather Johnston (David Dickins) of La Jolla, CA; her son Graham Johnston (Hilary Russell) of Vancouver; and two stepdaughters Margaret (Bill) Tuttle of Medicine Hat, AB and Mary Jacko (Gerry Roberts) of Calgary, AB. Ev’s numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren are a lasting legacy.

Many thanks to the nurses and care aides at Comox Valley Seniors Village and to Charline Law for their untiring and loving care of Ev during her final years.

She will always be remembered in the many homes of family and friends where her artwork is displayed, reminding us all of her enjoyment of life as she created, danced, sang and joked to the end.

A Celebration of Evelyn’s life will be held on Saturday, August 6th at 1:00pm at Piercy’s Funeral Home, 440 England Ave, Courtenay, BC.

Donations in memory of Evelyn may be made to the charity or organization of your choice.

Please join us in remembering Evelyn by visiting our memorial at www.piercysmtwashingtonfuneral.com



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