Robyn "The Beaver" Beaverland  (1957-1998)

The parents of Robyn "the Beaver" Beverland, who died last year, begin an effort to support the arts in the city.

Although he was nearly blind, deaf in one ear and severely disabled by an especially cruel genetic disorder, Robyn "the Beaver" Beverland managed to see life's beauty.

For that reason, his father says, he should be remembered.

Jerry Beverland and his wife, Wanda, announced to the Oldsmar City Council this week that they have started the Robyn Beverland Memorial Fund to support the arts in Oldsmar. Robyn, who died in August 1998, was a nationally known folk artist whose work can be found in galleries and museums in more than 20 states.

"Until the day I die, that's one of my main causes: that nobody forgets Robyn," Beverland, Oldsmar's former mayor, said Wednesday. "He deserves it because of what he went through in his life. Maybe it's selfish on my part, but I don't want Robyn's memory to die, ever."

The Beverlands said at the meeting they will donate $5,000 to kick-start the memorial fund and will match the first donation of $5,000 to the fund between now and January 2001. They also will sell Robyn's paintings on an Internet bidding site, with the proceeds going to the fund.

The Beverlands have more than 400 of Robyn's paintings in storage. In the past, people have paid $300 to $600 for the artwork, Beverland said.

"Up until now, we haven't been able to sell any because we haven't been able to let them go," he said.

The Beverlands also have placed an advertisement seeking donations to the memorial fund in a popular folk art magazine.

Beverland said he would like the money to be used to help create a center for the visual and performing arts in Oldsmar. Because an arts foundation is being formed in the city for that purpose, the money from the memorial fund will go to the foundation.

The arts foundation is seeking non-profit status and plans to host fundraisers for an arts center, said David Wallace, foundation president.

"It's a wonderful, wonderful gift," Wallace said at the council meeting. "It will be a wonderful start for the arts foundation. With gifts like what Jerry and Wanda are giving, the arts foundation will be successful."

Beverland said the arts foundation will receive the money from the memorial fund as long as it is used to directly support the arts in Oldsmar.

"I want to make it very clear that this money is not going to be used for stamps and it is not going to be used for erasers," he said at the council meeting. "We will make sure that it will be used to further the arts in the city."

Robyn, who was 41 when he died, suffered from a rare genetic disorder called Wolfram syndrome, which left him with a stumbling walk, a stutter, a constant sweat, diabetes, bladder problems and diminishing eyesight. The syndrome is fatal.

Robyn began painting in 1991 when his father decided it might be good therapy for him. Beverland, a former roofer, has had trouble dealing with Robyn's death. He cries when he speaks of Robyn and when he notices something that reminds him of his son.

When Robyn died, his parents were in the room discussing with a nurse about whether they should turn off the respirator that was keeping him alive.

"I said, "I can't do that to him,' " Beverland said. "Then he kind of just moved his head . . . and got this most perfect look on his face and stopped breathing. I think it was his way of saying, "Dad, don't worry about it. You don't have to cause a scene. I'll do it for you.' "