One of downtown Sidney’s most familiar faces has sadly passed away.
Residents and visitors alike walking along Fourth Street and Beacon Avenue in Sidney are sure to have noticed a man sitting outside, making various bead designs.
Robert Schram, known to many locals as Mr. Beads, has sadly passed away at the age of 58.
Schram first began his business of bead making in 2011 after moving to Sidney from a recovery house in Vancouver.
Schram had recently been living out of a tent in Iroquois Park, and on Friday was riding a bike past the Victoria Buzz team shouting in happiness that he’d found a place to live. He had also recently shared that he was a candidate for new hearing aids that he was looking forward to.
Schram would set up along Fourth Street and Beacon Avenue and always greeted residents and visitors as they walked past while working on his art.
In an interview with People of Victoria 7 years ago, Schram said his artwork would take about three months to complete, depending on the project. He had been beading for over 40 years and said his favourite piece to do is images of killer whales.
The cause of his death is unknown.
Do you have a favourite memory of Mr. Beads? Post in the comment section below, we’d love to hear them!
