Barbara died peacefully and in comfort surrounded by her children, Britton, Galen and Alexia, her daughter-in-law, Sue and her son-in-law, Steve.
She was a tireless volunteer for many organizations including being treasurer for the BC Potters Guild, BC Recorder Society, The Unitarian Church of Vancouver, West Side Family Place and she served as president and treasurer of the BC Memorial Society. She also volunteered for the NDP, Kitsilano Neighborhood House and other forward-thinking causes she was passionate about.
She was raised in a brownstone rowhouse in Greenwich Village, NYC in a family with a strong sense of social justice, surrounded by progressive thinkers, artists and intellectuals. She spent summers in her beloved family cottage on White Oak Pond in New Hampshire. She got her BA in Liberal Arts at Reed College in Portland, Oregon and eventually settled in Vancouver to raise a family.
Her broad-minded, non-traditional upbringing led her to always seek new ways of thinking and expanding her mind and she met many wonderful people on her journey.
She learned to make pottery and play guitar as a young girl at City and Country School which began her life-long love of making music. She played in recorder groups for years and sang in a band and choirs. Singing and dancing were always a big part of her life especially having met her friend and companion, Andrew, while Contra-dancing and spending much of her last 30 years with him.
Having developed a neurological disease called Corticobasal Syndrome which severely challenged her ability to live the way she wanted and eventually began to cause her much suffering she became an advocate for MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). She was happy to have the choice to end her life in the way she chose and being true to her nature, died in a non-traditional way that forced other people to think about bigger issues.
She was a beautiful, loving, generous person and she touched many people's lives and will be missed greatly.