EVERETT FRANKLIN CLIFT
1910 – 2002
Ev was born on July 29, 1910 in Elmwood, Manitoba. When he was a child, his
family moved to B. C.
In 1952 Ev and his wife Marion and children, John and Sally, moved to Terrace
where Ev managed a clothing store which he later purchased in 1959 and renamed
Ev’s Men’s Wear Ltd.
On December 11, 2002, Ev passed away peacefully after a brief illness.
IN MEMORY OF EV CLIFT
Written by Corbin King – December 14, 2002
I first became acquainted with Ev shortly after he arrived in Terrace in
1952 with his wife Marion and children John and Sally.
My first recollection of Ev was actually when he became manager of the Terrace
Five to Dollar store just up the street from the Co-op where I was employed.
As well, Ev had the responsibility of operating a clothing store on Lakelse
Avenue. Both stores had the same owner.
Our responsibilities in our jobs were very similar, (to provide goods and
services to residents in Terrace and surrounding area). It was not long before
E’s capabilities as a storekeeper were apparent.
As Terrace grew (it was not very large in the fifties), the need to respond
to growth was apparent to everyone. In response to this growth our city fathers,
as one of their actions, formed a Community Planning Committee, whose responsibility
was to examine proposed changes to bylaws, zoning regulation, etc., and to
make recommendations back to council. Ev was chairman and I served on that
committee as well.
Ev also served for several terms on City Council and again accepted the responsibility
he had to Terrace. He was concerned that decisions being made would be of
long-term effect and benefit. We now have the arena and aquatic centre on
the hill above the library being used to capacity for hockey, skating, swimming
etc., and other major events so important to the life style of our community.
There were many more improvements made to our city during his terms of office
and the overpass above the CNR tracks was certainly a major one.
Ev also was a member of the Board of the Kitimat Stikine Regional District
and served as its Chairman for several years. The district covers an area
ranging from Kitmat to the south, east to the Hazeltons, and north to Stewart
and almost to the Yukon border. It is diverse in its geographic and economic
structure. Each director on the board must deal with the concerns of his own
area and work for the benefit of the whole district. I sat on this board as
well and witnessed Ev’s ability to understand and deal diplomatically
with most of the issues and concerns
As friends our personal interests were very much the same, mainly fishing,
hunting, camping, boating and our cabins at Lakelse Lake. Fishing in the early
years was mostly at the lake and later to the Nass and northern lakes.
In addition to the many short trips with our campers, we decided in 1974 to
make a trip to the Yukon. Ev and Marion towed a trailer with a boat on top.
One thing we noted early in the trip was that Ev just could not back up a
trailer with the result, on two occasions punching out the lights of the trailer
and running over Marion’s steps up to the camper. After a quick fix
with nails, masking tape and crazy glue, we were back on the road again. It
was hilarious.
Ev loved the ocean and we had the opportunity to have several trips with our
mutual friend Dr. Roger Hicks. Ev did however not like rough water. On one
particular trip, Roger was taking his boat to Vancouver and Ev and I were
the crew. When half way across Millbank Sound, we ran into a doozie of a storm.
Ev’s cure for sea sickness was not Gravol but a shot or so of rye and
by the time we arrived at the dock in Bella Bella we had a much relieved and
a much, much happier Ev.
The fact that Marion and Ev had their cabin at the lake next to ours was a
real bonus for our family. Hazel and Joe Schultzic and Dr. Roger Hicks had
cabins in the bay as well. It was a little community with parties, sing songs,
work bees etc. Ev and Marion were so much a part of this.
In the years that I have known Ev there have been times in our business relationship,
on boards, and committees, or a friends, when we did not always agree. There
was much discussion and friendly arguments, which were good for both of us.
I feel this strengthened the respect we had for each other over the 50 years
that we have been friends.
