Passings :: Gerry Gilbert

Vancouver author Gerry Gilbert died this past week. From Remembering.ca:

“I’ve used up my reality” Tuesday, April 7, 1936 – Friday, June 19, 2009 Gerry, poet, moved into the past tense Friday in Vancouver after a lifetime dedicated to writing, photography and art. He will be greatly missed by his son Jeremy in Toronto and daughter Tamsin Bragg (Ritchie) in Saltspring Island, and by his grandchildren Cassandra and Drew Storey in Saltspring, and Matilda in Toronto. Gerry waspre-deceased by his daughter Lara, sister Linda, and parents Ralph and Betty, all of Vancouver. Gerry, once called the “Jude the Obscure of the Vancouver poetry scene,” published many books of poetry and prose, including “Moby Jane,” “Grounds” and “Azure Blues” and was for many years host of “radiofreerainforest” on Co-op radio. He published “BC Monthly,” a writing journal, and had numerous photographic and audio-visual exhibitions. Through BC Monthly and radiofreerainforest, he was the most active of all the poets in the Vancouver poetry community in promoting and supporting the work of other poets from all the many groups and schools in the city. He lived for the last 40 years in and around Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, subsisting on his writing. His family would like to extend their gratitude to Marlene Swidzinsky and James Campbell, Jamie and Carol Reid, and the staff of St. Paul’s Hospital palliative ward. Gerry’s ashes will be spread over the waters by Jericho Beach, to join his family there who preceded him.