Celebrating the Life of Judith Ann Evans (Hirsch), 1944 to 2017

This photograph provides a beautiful metaphor for Judy’s full and inspiring life. It was taken less than a year before she had to say her final “See you in a bit.” Her kind caregivers, including Dr. A. O. Adesanya, agreed that two weeks of exploring the serene magnificence of the Swiss Alps was worth the potentially risky rescheduling of her treatments for bone marrow cancer. But risk-taking was always a stimulating factor as Judy researched yet more interesting and remote areas of the world she and I could explore. From camping through the former USSR and Turkey for nine weeks, to being the first two people to visit Viet Nam when that country opened its doors to tourism after the war, to our most recent Australian trip in 2014 that included a 5500-km adventure by 4-wheel drive from Darwin through the Outback to Adelaide, Judy was always keen to try new experiences. Her passion for learning by travelling led us to more than 130 countries, and it is heart-warming to know that she was just as excited about a clear mountain brook as she was about viewing the marvels on Easter Island, or trying to photograph penguin colonies in the rain on the Falkland Islands, or joining locals in the Paro Festival in Bhutan.
But travelling was just one of many passions that Judy shared with loving relatives, interesting and caring friends, and, happily, me.
• Judy was a life-long learner and avid book lover (well, she was a librarian), and our two-person book club enjoyed non-fiction and fiction books in equal measure. Every year she tried to find an extension course involving such topics as history, music, art, and architecture.
• She embraced the calming and health-enhancing effects of nature, whether surrounded by spectacular mountain peaks and crystal brooks, or walking on an isolated beach at sunrise, or venturing beyond a sign that warned “Dangerous fumaroles beyond this point”.
• She became excited every time she raised her binoculars and shut out the rest of the world to try to identify some beautiful bird wherever we travelled. This passion added an immense layer of joy to our lives, as anyone who has spied Splendid Fair-wrens cavorting, or Blue-footed Boobies nesting, or Hyacinth Macaws squawking, or learned to distinguish dozens of hummingbirds can attest. It is astonishing to realize that, as an amateur birdwatcher, she recorded almost one-quarter of the world’s more than 9700 bird species.
• Judy loved cultural experiences, which were easy to access in the Golden Horseshoe area of Ontario as well as in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where we often spent a few months in the winter. Symphonies, live theatre, art shows, street festivals, fine dining, and much more filled her calendar.
• She was quietly proud of her passion for flowers and gardening, which she loved to share with everybody. I feel so fortunate to have been able to witness the slow but inevitable cycle of changes in our garden throughout the growing season each year, from the first snowdrops and daffodils in the forest in spring, to the layers of blooming perennials and numerous potted annuals that attracted hummingbirds in summer, to the brilliant Japanese maples in fall.
• Most importantly, Judy loved people. She was always thinking of others and interested in their lives, and somehow she seemed to remember the things dearest to their hearts.
Judy, thank you so much for the most incredible journey. I’m going to miss your beautiful smile, sparkling eyes, laughter, optimism, and all your love and caring. “See you in a bit.”
Love forever, Alan

As the lyrics to “Always There” sung by The Tenors promise:

Though a burden I may be
You don’t worry, you don’t rest
You are reaching out to carry me,
And I know I’m heaven blessed

You are there when I most need you
You are there so constantly
You come shining through
You always do
You are always there for me

If you wish to donate to a charity in Judy’s memory, two of her favourite charities are:
Famous People Players, the black-light theatre company that has been making dreams come true since 1974.
www.FamousPeoplePlayers.com or 416-532-1137
Doctors Without Borders
www.MSF.ca or 416-964-0619

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