Blaine Bernard Barrie

Blaine was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. His father William worked in the Princess Coal Mine and his mother Pearl (Vickers) was a school teacher. Growing up the third of four children, Blaine looked up to his two older brothers, Murray and Arnel, both of whom became Mounties, and was protective of his younger sister, Willa Anne, who became a nurse. He remained close to all of his siblings throughout his life and loved and cared deeply for them, their spouses, and his nieces and nephews.

After attending Notre Dame school in Sydney Mines, Blaine completed a business diploma at St. Francis Xavier "junior college" in Sydney and subsequently joined CIBC. At a wedding of his close friend, Herbie Pye, he met the love of his life, Herbie's sister Evelyn, and married her on May 20, 1967.

Blaine's career with CIBC took him and Evelyn on a journey around the Maritimes. At various times they lived in Halifax, Greenwood, Barrington Passage, and Bridgewater, Nova Scotia; in Fredericton, New Brunswick; and in Summerside, Alberton, and Charlottetown, PEI. They had three children together, all boys, each born in a different province.

After Blaine retired from CIBC, he and Evelyn moved to Bedford, NS to be close to their grandchild, Xander. Blaine had always loved children and he loved the opportunity to care for and babysit Xander as he was growing up. He joined his eldest son, his daughter-in-law, and his grandson for a family dinner every week, a tradition he continued right up to the day of his death.

Blaine loved playing cribbage, watching sports of all kinds, and spending quiet evenings at home with Evelyn watching their favourite shows. He was an active member of the Lions Club for many decades. A devout Catholic, he was an altar boy as a child and an active member of each parish he resided in, often volunteering for Church functions and readings during Mass. More than anything, though, he enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Blaine was a relentlessly positive and optimistic person who saw the best in everyone and readily forgave frailties. Invariably cheerful and always ready to help out, he was a pillar of strength for his family at all times, but especially in their times of need. Evelyn's death on June 2, 2024 after 57 years of marriage hit him very hard, but he did his best to carry the burden of his sadness stoically.

Blaine was predeceased by his wife, his parents, and his two brothers. He is survived by his three children Brent (Juanita Nicholson), Scott, and Trevor; his grandchild Xander; his sister Willa Anne MacNeil; and many nieces and nephews, including Cynthia (Jackson), Frank, Kirk, Patti, Michael, Michelle MacNeil, Dawn Lynn (MacNeil) Morrison, and Christopher MacNeil.

A celebration of Blaine's life will be held Tuesday, January 28th from 3 pm to 5 pm at JA Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to a charity of your choice. Church service will take place Wednesday, January 29th at 12:15 pm at St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1288 Bedford Highway, Bedford, Nova Scotia. A livestream of the church service will be available from a link on the funeral home obituary page for Blaine.