March 27, 1934, Linz, Austria - March 24, 2025, Victoria, Canada
With sadness but gratitude for a full life lived well, we announce the passing of Eric Bauer, a long-time resident of Roberts Creek.
Eric was predeceased by his life partner, Karin Jordan (2020). He is survived by his brother Franzl (Austria), nieces Olivia (Victoria) and Kathryn (Guelph) and nephew Jeff (Japan), as well as several grand and great-grand-nieces and nephews.
Eric immigrated to Canada in 1956 and worked across the country before signing with the merchant marine in 1958. Over the next decade, he travelled widely with longer stays in Australia and Papua New Guinea - the source of many great stories. In 1965, he returned to Canada and became a caretaker at the lively Tyrol Ski & Mountain Club in Whistler, where he met Karin. In 1968, he moved to the Sunshine Coast, eventually buying land in Roberts Creek. Karin joined him, and together they embarked upon a life where, with a succession of beloved dogs (Ara, Becky, Cyrus, Dora and Eli), they hiked, camped and homesteaded. The adventure lasted until 2021 when, following Karin's death, Eric sold the property and took up residence at Amica Edgemont Village.
While Eric never had children, a source of abiding regret, he was a great uncle! He had a wonderful sense of humour and a terrific reservoir of jokes. He introduced us to the flora and fauna of the West Coast, took us fishing, let us help with his livestock and taught us about gardening. They were the first environmentalists we'd encountered, and we were inspired by how lightly they lived in near self-sufficiency on their tidy homestead.
Though Eric was compelled to leave school and begin working at age 14, he was an ever-curious autodidact. Over the years, he built his own houses, was a potter, an artist and a great reader. He was a fantastic gardener with a large orchard and a marvellous ornamental garden. Eric proudly boasted of starting more than 150 rhododendrons from seed and generously gifted many of them.
Thanks to the staff at Amica Edgemont and Sunrise Senior Living for their care and affection. Should you wish to donate in his memory, Gibsons & District Public Library and Doctors Without Borders are organizations Eric supported. He will be dearly missed.
