Perry Taylor
There is so much that can be said about a man who lived such a full life. Perry was born in Winnipeg in 1945 to parents Phyllis and Archie Taylor. As a child, Perry’s exuberant imagination filled his life with both fictional and real friendships. His kindness, and ability to connect to others made him a natural leader. His “gang” of childhood friends spent countless hours in the woods by the Assiniboine River at the end of Stradbrook Ave. in Winnipeg’ s old Fort Rouge, playing games of his devising.
His teen years in Windsor Park lead to new enduring friendships, and through model railroading, a deepened lifelong bond with his younger brother Blake. His much younger sister Susan admired him as a sweet and rather god-like creature, and their relationship is built on affection and a special connection through discussions of literature, film and art. Perry’s fertile life of the mind became more apparent during these years, as he produced works of visual art, played some blues guitar, wrote poetry, consumed vast amounts of literature, watched films and read philosophy, economics and political theory – all instead of doing his homework. Perry, like many true autodidacts, never fit into the school system.
His student years at the University of Winnipeg were spent at the Bentley Apartments in the old Victorian neighbourhood of Wolsley, an area that suited his love of visual character and charm.
He became a key figure in the Libertarian movement (classical conservative – not like today’s libertarians) and continued living a life of discussion, reading, thought, art and friendships, instead of homework. He nevertheless graduated and began his work life as both a movie theatre assistant manager at the fine old downtown Winnipeg theatres – the Gaiety and then the Capitol – and as a connoisseur and seller of fine cigars and pipes.
Connoisseur is how anyone would describe his relationship with food and drink – especially cheese, chocolate, and the occasional beer. He also became great lover of classical music with, among many, Zelenka being perhaps his favourite composer.
He fell in love with a talented painter and moved to Vancouver, where he lived between Chinatown and Commercial Avenue Drive, a street close to Perry’s heart.
It was at that time that Perry began teaching at Vancouver Community College. It was the first job he had that gave him a real opportunity to apply his brilliant mind, creativity, kindness, humor and ability to connect to people. Many of his lifelong friends are colleagues from the VCC, and they never forget to praise him as their mentor, writer of curriculum, and master teacher. He left a legacy of grateful students and colleagues to whom he gave so much.
Shortly after he began teaching Perry met his wife, artist Jane Gibney. They shared a unique bond for 39 years, first in the West End and then later on Wall St. in the East End of Vancouver, by the docks near Commercial, with cherished dogs Hornby and Kayo. Perry rode his Bianchi bike to work, practiced his brilliant teaching, and wrote fiction while Jane painted. They were happy.
Eventually Perry retired and they moved to their beloved Magic Lake house on Pender Island. That is where Perry began teaching in Simon Fraser University’s Liberal Arts and 55+ Program, where he developed and taught many courses, among them; “The Haunted Heroine a Brief History of Gothic Romance”, “How to Talk to conservatives”, “How to Discuss Books”, “Classical Liberalism”, “B Movies”, “Doing Philosophy Yourself”, “Democracy Beneath the Surface” and was at the time of his illness writing the curriculum for a course entitled “Why Study the Liberal Arts?”
Sadly, Jane Passed away from cancer in 2021. It hit Perry very hard, but he continued teaching and had Jane’s cherished dog Oscar, until last year when Oscar passed.
Perry became ill with cancer in July 2024, and his many friends stepped up to help and support him as he tried to complete his new course. The degree to which he was loved in his community was both remarkable and deeply touching.
Some of the friends that helped him especially during his illness are Jim and Joanne Peacock, Richard and Lorna Stecenko, Mary and Doug Steelberg, Jane’s sister Diana Consell, John Shayler, Doug Munday and Jackie Ritchie Munday, Ted and Shannon Hougham, Cupid and Darlene Cruz, Priscilla Maki, Perry’s sister-in-law Mimi Raglan, nephew Sean Taylor and brother Blake.
Perry passed away peacefully with family and friends at his side at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, on Friday February 14.
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