Eric Charman, a Victoria philanthropist and patron of the arts, died Friday — the day after his 88th birthday.
Charman was known as “the realtor to the rich” and was a relentless fundraiser for the arts. He organized hundreds of charity events and raised millions of dollars for local organizations, including the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the Victoria Symphony, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, Kaleidoscope Children’s Theatre and Pacific Opera Victoria.
At its 2016 fall convocation, Royal Roads University gave Charman the Chancellor’s Community Recognition Award, saying Charman passionately believed in the ability of art to inspire hope and comfort in people of all ages and regularly gave emerging artists exposure and encouragement.
Charman attributed his passion for music and the arts to his experience as a child growing up in a series of orphanages, when the radio was his closest companion and music was his greatest comfort, Royal Roads said on its website.
After immigrating to Canada from England in 1953, Charman pledged to do whatever he could to make a difference for his new community.
After five years in financial services and 38 years in real estate, Charman began to fundraise for the region’s artists, musicians and actors, using his business acumen.
Shirley, Charman’s wife of 58 years, died on Nov. 30. He was not the same after her death, his friend Dominique Chapheau said.
“Eric was lonely and had many health issues. He was not well and was in and out of the hospital.”
Chapheau, who hosted Charman’s 50th birthday bash at his Chantecler restaurant on West Saanich Road in 1982, has dozens of Eric Charman stories.
His favourite involves the fundraising advice Charman gave Prince Edward on Charman’s yacht, Shellani, during the Commonwealth Games.
“We were sitting on the deck and Eric told the prince we were doing a lot of fundraising for the art gallery and the symphony. Prince Edward said he did a lot of fundraising for the arts and the opera. So Eric said: ‘Sir, I’ve got a great idea for you to raise money. You could raise a lot of money auctioning dinner for two with your mom at Buckingham Palace.’ The prince laughed like hell,” recalled Chapheau, breaking into laughter himself.
Chapheau said Charman could be very kind. When Chapheau lost his business and was looking for work, Charman told him he needed a week off and treated Chapheau to a week-long cruise aboard Shellani.
“He was a very kind person — brash, but kind beyond description. I will miss him,” said Chapheau. “From a client he became a friend and I’ll never forget him. He will always be part of my life. I am very sad.”
Charman is survived by his sons Wallace and Shane and by daughters Shelley and Lani, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Charman received an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Victoria in 1998, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2003 and the Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts, one of the 2008 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards.
He also held the 2004 Generosity of Spirit Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the 1993 Edmund G. Bovey Award for leadership support of the arts from Business for the Arts, a national charitable association of business members who support the arts.
He was a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia, as well as a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
