It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Evan Muir Oakley, surrounded by his loving family, on June 24, 2025. The eldest child of Everett and Anne Oakley, Evan was predeceased by his dear sister June McLean (Blair) in 2017 and his brother- in-law William Tupper in 2022. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 70 years, Yvonne, sons Mark (Laurie), Scott, daughter Michelle (Charles), brother Lorne (Diane), cherished grand-daughters Kathryn, Stephanie, and Sloane and his many nieces and nephews.
Evan was born in Vancouver but grew up on the Malahat where his father was in the logging business. He attended grades one to six at the one room Malahat Station School and completed grades seven and eight at Langford Elementary. When the lumber mill closed in 1943, his family moved to Victoria where he began his secondary education at Victoria High School. Upon graduation from Vic High, Evan attended Victoria College followed by a year at the Provincial Normal School where he obtained his teaching certificate. He began his teaching career at View Royal Elementary in Victoria in 1950 and continued his education through both night and summer school to finally graduate from the University of British Columbia in 1961 with a Bachelor of Education.
In 1954 while attending U.B.C. he met Yvonne Tupper. They were married in 1955 and Yvonne began her teaching career at Margaret Jenkins Elementary in Victoria. During 1957-58 he and Yvonne travelled to Europe where Evan spent a term teaching at a secondary school in London, England. Throughout his 36-year career Evan was a well- respected classroom teacher, vice-principal and principal of numerous schools in the Greater Victoria District, retiring as principal of Doncaster in 1986. During his early retirement years, he travelled the province as an accreditor of independent schools for the Ministry of Education. Evan enjoyed being an educator – always setting high standards for himself, his fellow teachers and students.
An avid sportsman, Evan played and coached a variety of sports. He was a member of the 1947 Vic High Totems basketball team and later played for the Victoria College Vikings. As he grew older and wiser, basketball and lacrosse gave way to golf, fishing and curling. A long-time member of the Victoria Curling Center, Evan curled in the men’s, senior men’s and mixed leagues with Yvonne as a teammate. In 1958, Evan joined the Uplands Golf Club where he remained a lifelong member. He served on the Board of Directors, organized teams for the annual “Horse Race” tournament and earned the nickname “Smoker” for his long drives down the fairway.
Evan was a true Victorian. He loved the Island and the city and volunteered for many local causes and charities. A member of the Oak Bay Optimists, he also campaigned door to door for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, worked with the Victoria Summer Games and in 1994 was Chairman of Accreditation for the Commonwealth Games.
Known for his excellent sense of humour, kindness and outgoing personality, Evan also had an amazing memory and was a wonderful storyteller (both fact and fiction!). Traveling with family, adventures abroad with Yvonne and time spent playing cards with relatives and friends brought many happy memories. He will be missed.
Our sincere thanks to Dr. Hiebert, Island Health Home Care Services and the staff at BC Cancer Clinic. We are especially grateful for the outstanding care and compassion shown to Evan and our family by the amazing team at Amica Jubilee House.
At Evan’s request, a family celebration of life will be held at a later date.
If you wish, donations may be made in Evan’s name to the annual Heart Tournament at Uplands Golf Club held yearly in July at 3300 Cadboro Bay Road, Victoria, B.C. V8R 5K5.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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15 Responses
Our condolences, Yvonne, Mark, Scott, Michelle, and the rest of the Oakley family. A wonderful man has left this world, and I know you will miss him so much. He loved his family beyond everything else, and was always so proud of all of you.
We first met Evan in 1964, when I was assigned to a teaching job at Burnside School. I realized then what a superb principal he was, and of all the principals I had after him, none compared with him. He had a way of making you feel good about yourself, and acknowledged all of your accomplishments. With this, we all worked harder because of his encouragement.
I was lucky enough to work with him not only at Burnside School, but also at Richmond Elementary, where Evan was appointed to be the first principal of the brand new school. The staff there loved him as well.
When I returned to teaching after staying home raising our family, by a number of coincidences, I ended up at Doncaster School where Evan had just been appointed as the new Principal. Lucky me!
It was no wonder, that the School District often appointed Vice-Principals who were hoping to become Principals to work under him, as they knew that he was one of their finest, and would do a wonderful job in steering these Principals to be, in the right direction.
Jim and I have great memories of the Teachers’ Curling League that Evan encouraged us to join. What good times we had on those Fridays at the Victoria Curling Club. The year end banquets, and after parties were such fun, and Evan was always right in there, making sure everyone had a good time.
Those who knew Evan will of course remember the “Malahat Stories”. We all had so many laughs as he told us about riding his bicycle to school.
We feel so blessed to have had Evan as a friend, and colleague. He will be sorely missed by many!!
Much love to all of the Oakley family!
Sandra and Jim Laing
To Yvonne and family. I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t remember a time when you Yvonne and Evan weren’t a huge and important part of my Mom and Dad’s life. Much love to you in this difficult time of great loss;
My sincere condolences to the entire Oakley family. My name is Manny Pereira, Mr Oakley was the principal at Burnside Elementary School when I came to Canada in 1963 and Mr Bill
Abbott was his Vice. Both were extremely helpful/kind to a poor Portuguese immigrant boy
like me and I am forever greatful for their patience on helping a boy who couldn’t speak a word of English. Sad but not forgotten that both have left us forever. A very sincere thank you to both men.
It took me a long time to actually come up with the right words, and I still don’t think I have.
Whenever we saw Evan, he was always making us laugh, making us welcome, always had a smile on his face. Wish we had visited more, but I do have some wonderful memories.
You will be missed so much. So sorry for you loss.
Helen and I want you to know our thoughts are with you—our deepest condolences and best wishes to you. Ross and Helen