Skutezky, Ernie & Phoebe (Evans)

Ernest Skutezky 1918 - 2011

Ernest Skutezky was born in Opava, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now the eastern part of the Czech Republic on 1st day of September 1918, the son of Hans and Lily Skutezky, and died in Montreal on December 18, 2011. In the mid 1930s he attended Dundee Tech in Scotland to learn about the textile trade, which was his father’s business in central Europe. In 1938, his father advised him that he was moving the family to North America - the United States or Canada - to get away from the oppression been invoked by Nazi Germany. Apparently, he said if the destination for the family was Canada, he would come. He was accepted in the Commerce program at McGill University and enrolled in the ROTC program. His father would not permit him to “join up” until he had completed his degree.
Ernest graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at McGill University in 1942, before joining the Canadian Army. After undergoing officer training at Brockville and Petawawa he was posted to England.
Ernest was commissioned as Lieutenant and was first in the artillery and then was seconded into intelligence. Two weeks after D-Day he landed at Juno Beach and his duties were to set up prisoner cages to interrogate prisoners. He also would travel by motorcycle to German holdout positions to encourage prisoners to surrender using his German mother tongue. He travelled with the Canadian advance all the way to Holland.
After the cessation of hostilities in Europe he married Phoebe Maye Evans at St. Matthias’ Church in Westmount, Quebec, in August, 1945.
Ernest was introduced to Tadoussac by his bride to be Phoebe. Apparently, Phoebe indicated that he would have to like Tadoussac if they were to be married. He became a fixture in Tadoussac and all it had to offer including tennis, golf and his Shark sail boat. Tadoussac reminded him of St. Gilgen, Austria on the Wolfgangsee where the family had a villa which was seized by the Nazis and sold to a German. The villa was later recovered.
In the mid-seventies, Ernest commissioned Gaeten Hovington, a local wood sculptor, to carve a “minke trophy” to be awarded to the winners of an annual round-robin mixed doubles tennis tournament in the month of July to promote community participation, good sportsmanship and competitive play in tennis. The tournament continues to be played in July of every summer.
His legacy lives on in his 3 children Michael (Judy Shirriff), Toronto; Trevor (Gail Goodfellow), Montreal; Gwen (the late Alan Sawers), Vancouver. He was the proud grandfather of Trevor, Vancouver; James, (Silje Albrigsten, Tromso, Norway) great granddaughter, Viktoria, great grandson William), Whistler, BC; Ruth, (Jesse Wheeler, great grandsons Thomas and Max), North Vancouver BC; Dorothy (Montreal), Charles (Montreal) (Brittany Cairns) and Evelyn (Michael Price), Montreal; Christopher Sawers (Lace Kessler) and great granddaughters Stella and Charleigh) and Gordon Sawers (Sarah Rush) and great granddaughter Avery), Vancouver BC.
Ernest is interred with his wife Phoebe in the Memorial Garden on the grounds of the Tadoussac Protestant Chapel.
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Phoebe Maye Evans 1921 - 2008

Phoebe Maye Evans was born on 12th May, 1921 in Montreal, Quebec and died in Tadoussac on 4th July, 2008. Her father was Trevor Ainslie Evans (born 1879) and mother Dorothy Gwendolyn Esther Rhodes was born in 1892. The families of both parents were summer residents of Tadoussac and both served their Country during the first great war. Trevor initially served with the Royal Victoria Rifles which at the beginning of the First Great War amalgamated with several other Companies and Militia Regiments as the 1st Regiment, Royal Montreal Regiment. His wife Dorothy served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a nursing sister.
Phoebe’s siblings are Ainslie Stephen, Trevor Armitage Evans and Rhodes Bethune (Tim) Evans.
Phoebe was an enthusiastic member of the Montreal General Hospital auxiliary working in the Hospitality Shop, always making time to listen to those that needed that kindness. Her participation at the Atwater Club in Montreal spanned half a century, playing badminton and tennis well into her eighties. In the 1970s, Phoebe was crew to sailor husband Ernest, sailing in 420 regattas off Dorval Naval Base and upriver. Phoebe was always involved in her children’s activities either on the sidelines watching as a hockey Mom, choir mother, Tawny Owl or coaching Ringette. She was one of the 'pioneers' of Ringette, co-coaching a Canadian Championship Team. She was a proud Lady Member of the 78th Fraser Highlanders. Phoebe, lover of family, nature and all its creatures, great and small, enjoyed being 'out in it' whether it was from 'le petit train de nord' in the Laurentian mountains as a teenager and young adult, in the Morgan Arboretum well past middle age, or as a summer resident of Tadoussac, Quebec from the age of 3 months, enjoying the view and activity of the St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers and environs from her front verandah in her later years.
In Tadoussac she served on the Executive of the Tennis Club and the Tadoussac Protestant Chapel taking her turn arranging flowers and cleaning the Church for Sunday service.
Her legacy lives on in her 3 children Michael (Judy Shirriff), Toronto; Trevor (Gail Goodfellow), Montreal; Gwen (the late Alan Sawers), Vancouver. She was the proud grandfather of Trevor, Vancouver; James, (Silje Albrigsten, Tromso, Norway) great-granddaughter, Viktoria, great-grandson William), Whistler, BC; Ruth, (Jesse Wheeler great-grandsons Thomas and Max), North Vancouver BC; Dorothy (Montreal), Charles (Montreal) (Brittany Cairns) and Evelyn (Michael Price), Montreal; Christopher Sawers (Lace Kessler) and great granddaughters Stella and Charleigh) and Gordon Sawers (Sarah Rush) and great-granddaughter Avery, Vancouver BC.
Phoebe is interred with her husband Ernest in the Memorial Garden on the grounds of the Tadoussac Protestant Chapel.

Michael Skutezky