Eve Roberts passed away peacefully at Dunrovin Park Lodge in Quesnel, British Columbia in her 89th year. She was the daughter of the late Hnat Onofreyo and Martha (Knysh) Onofreyo Pascoe. Predeceased by spouse Lloyd Roberts, brothers Rudolph (Madeleine), Frederick (Germaine) and and nieces Martha Onofreyo and Caryl (Onofreyo) Mock (Harv). She will be lovingly remembered by niece Rachel Onofreyo (Prem Sahota) and children Justin, the late Aimée Marie, and Dasha Gribova. Sadly missed by Caryl’s son Tim Francis (Melissa) and daughters Brooke and Lyla. Eve was dear to many other relatives including the Knysh, Hawryluk and Rogowsky families.
Eve’s generous spirit, good humour, resourcefulness and sense of adventure will also be missed by her closest friends, especially Donna Jagusch and Carolyn Jennings.
Despite her unassuming manner and modest lifestyle, Eve was blessed with a keen intellect and a photographic memory. She had a distinguished career as a Class A scientist at the Fisheries Experimental Station of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada in Vancouver. There she helped develop a research program in marine biology. She co-authored numerous research papers on marine bacteria. Eve also worked on many other projects that benefitted the fishing industry. For example, she performed DNA testing to identify and name new species of fish.
Eve grew up the middle child of a young widow in Winnipeg during the Great Depression. Perhaps because of this, she never forgot the importance of helping others. Eve was always available to lend a hand to friends and relatives at a moment’s notice. She also volunteered for several years at the Quesnel church soup kitchen.
Eve loved animals. When she retired to her ranch in Quesnel she was devoted to her pets and farm animals. In her later years, when she was living in town, her dearest companion was Mickey, her little Shiba Inu dog. Eve was a generous contributor to the Quesnel SPCA.
Eve was an avid stamp collector, had a talent for languages, particularly French, and loved to cook. Over the years she sang in choirs and amateur musicals, and would sometimes entertain her friends by bursting into song.
Eve liked making handicrafts, especially with natural materials. She often knitted or crocheted scarves, vests and other items to give to friends and relatives. On nature walks with friends, Eve enjoyed identifying flowers and birds in English and in Latin. She had applied herself to learning their correct names from a young age.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Dunrovin for their loving care of Eve in her final years.
A memorial tea was held in Eve’s honour in Quesnel on May 27th. A private family burial and oak tree dedication will take place in June at Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. Donations in Eve’s memory may be made to either the SPCA or a charity of your choice.