IN MEMORIAM

We will never forget our Evelyn Hustwit.  She was a joyful presence among us at RLTC for some 56 years and a most lovable and distinguished player. Although Evelyn was a champion, she gladly used her skill to help others at all levels. She loved the game, which she played until just before her death in 2022 at the age of 85.

After Evelyn passed away on August 13, 2022, her husband Peter organized a celebration of her life at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre. Part of this event was the showing of a brief CJOH television report about a younger Evelyn, including brief interviews with her and shots of her volleying with David Cuthbertson on the RLTC court. This earlier report was followed by a fifteen-minute video presentation that had been prepared by her son-in-law Kevin Reid especially for the memorial service  Both the CJOH report and Kevin’s video presentation, which is nicely softened with Scottish music, can be seen in merged form here.

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Evelyn’s development and achievements were indeed remarkable. She was born in 1936 in the town of Guisborough in northern Yorkshire, the eldest daughter of Lesley and John Fulton (both tennis players).  During the war years as a young child, she lived for a while with relatives in the nearby safety of Scotland, which she grew to love. She later joined her family in the Yorkshire  town of Wakefield, not far from the Chapel Allerton Lawn Tennis, Squash & Gym Club. 

At the age of eight she started to play tennis with plenty of tips, no doubt, from her parents. (Lesley and John were Scottish national Doubles champions. They also qualified to compete in Doubles at Wimbledon--Lesley three times and John once.) While strengthening her tennis skills, Evelyn attended the Wakefield Girls High School and later the Anstey Physical Training College in nearby Birmingham. ( Anstey College was a new kind of English post-secondary institution with feminist origins and a mission to train athletes to become qualified instructors of their sport. ) 

As a young woman, Evelyn played competitive tennis in many cities and towns in the U.K.  With her younger sister Joyce, she won the Girls Doubles in Yorkshire three times (in 1952, 1953, and 1954)  and  the Ladies Doubles Open in the town of Ilkley three times (1956, 1957, 1958).  She won the North-of-England junior Singles draw three times, and she played in the Singles draw three times (1957, 1958, and 1961) at Wimbledon.

 In 1960, Evelyn married Peter Hustwit.  In 1966 the couple immigrated to Ottawa, Canada, where they raised two daughters Kay and Lynne.  They lived in the east end the city near the tennis courts at the Rideau Sports Centre and, of course, RLTC. Evelyn played here frequently and worked for many years as a professional instructor. She also ran a well-attended clinic for “women and girls in tennis,”  and junior players would compete annually for the RLTC’s  Evelyn Hustwit Junior Sportsmanship Award.  Her willingness to give generous help to weaker players continued-- and one such act was even remembered in some light verse. 

As well as playing and working at the RLTC, Evelyn also played, coached, and competed  elsewhere--in Ottawa, in Canada, and in other parts of the world. . 

We miss you dear Evelyn!

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-- Jim Steele