GIBSON, Graydon Earson Gibson

Born June 3, 1946, in Vancouver.  Passed away peacefully at home in Victoria on October 6, 2025. Son of Earson and Dorothy Gibson. Raised in Kerrisdale. At 13 he was sent to Shawnigan Lake Boys School, where he got his first real taste of the Island. He drifted back here from time to time, and worked in all the basic B.C. industries (logging, saw and pulp mills, fishing (both sea and land), hard rock mining, construction, before talking and writing his way into a career in journalism, a trade that took him from the Merritt Herald to the Sydney Morning Herald, with a few stops in between, and ultimately back to the Island where he covered Dave Barrett’s Legislature for the News Radio group and CKDA. Back in Vancouver once again, he reconnected with his high school sweetheart Elizabeth Anne Day, and they married May 7, 1976. A year’s honeymoon on Mayne Island, they moved to Victoria where their children Hayley Gibson (Neil MacCormick) and Earson Gibson (Susan Plant) were born.

Like many of his colleagues, Graydon went to work for the Provincial Government in various communications roles with the Ministries of Environment, Energy, and for 16 years Health, where he established the Health Files as the go-to source of plainly written information about public health issues.

Graydon and Liz had many adventures over their 49 years of marriage – cruises, trips to France and Italy, many winter holidays in Bucerias, Mexico and often Spring at Biennale in Venice.  They were privileged to own the MV Rhinegold, the oldest (1910) still original small yacht on the West Coast, and cruised the Gulf Islands extensively, which ultimately led to many summers at their Pine Cone Palace on Piers Island.

Along the way, he sat on the Boards of the Maritime Museum of BC and the Greater Victoria Public Library, had an aldermanic run at City Hall, discovered golf, encouraged blood donors, and generally enjoyed life with Liz, raising their children and keeping active in the community.

He was an early advocate of all forms of renewable energy but came to believe that the only realistic replacement for carbon-based fuels was nuclear fission or fusion supporting a hydrogen-based economy.

Graydon had no side to him. He was honest, and often outspoken (some would say too often), but always willing to hear the other side of the story. He also loved music and played the trumpet and 12 string guitars though he eschewed foisting his singing voice onto others.  He was always listening to Venice Classic radio.

He was grateful every day for his luck in life, for being married to Liz, and for being able to watch his children grow up and make their way in life. He died a happy man.

He was a life member of the Maritime Museum of BC, the Sail and Life Training Society (SALTS), and a long-time member of Royal Colwood Golf and Country Club and Royal Victoria Yacht Club, and more recently a member of the Union Club of British Columbia.

A Celebration of Graydon’s Life will be held from 2:00pm-5:00pm on Saturday, November 22^nd, 2025, at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, 3475 Ripon Road, Victoria, BC V8R 6H1.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com

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