Barbara went peacefully to be with her Lord on 11th November 2020 at the age of 92. Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in the shadow of Lister’s Mill Chimney, Barbara Dalby was the only child of Harold Dalby and Ann (Horsfall) Dalby. Predeceased by her loving husband Peter McWeeny, she is survived by her four children: Andrew (Ellen), Paul (Leslie), Chris (Kristin) and Elizabeth (Richard), eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Barbara attended St Cuthbert’s school and St. Joseph’s College in Bradford. After school, she worked at Lister’s Mill, the City of Bradford and especially loved her job at St. Bede’s Grammar School. In 1950, she married Peter McWeeny and they made their first home in Altrincham, Cheshire. In 1955, she and Peter took a three-year posting in Kampala, Uganda and returned to settle with their four children in Guildford. In 1966, Barbara and Peter emigrated to Canada and raised their family in Pierrefonds, Quebec and then Cambridge, Ontario.
Barbara loved growing her beautiful garden. It was her place of peace with the Creator. Her perennials sprouted with new hope every spring, and then off Mum would go to the plant nursery to add additional colour for the full season. Lilies, phlox, glorious delphiniums and tiny sunspots gave pleasure to all who sat in her garden.
Barbara took-up oil painting in her fifties and has left a legacy of wonderful art in the homes of her family and friends. With his engineering background, Dad helped her with perspective and architecture as well as being her first critic as she created pictures of seascapes, mountains and lakes and of course, beautiful gardens.
Like her own mother, Barbara relished staying fit. In earlier years she would be off on her bike onto Baildon Moor, down to the shops or just around to the park. Swimming and Aquafit were a big part of her schedule and even on snowy days, she could be seen bundled up walking briskly around the neighbourhood. She would come in refreshed and ready to get on with the day…. until it was time to go for another walk.
As a young girl, Barbara danced and sang in pantomimes, youth club performances and whenever she could. Music was a big part of her soul. She sang in church choirs, with the Barbershop Happy Tones in Montreal, including the exciting year when they won the North American Championship. Her kitchen was always full of music to help her produce thousands of delicious meals and tasty baked treats for the hungry throng. Even as Alzheimer’s Disease robbed her of so much she still responded to music with joy and smiles.
Her son Chris offers this reflection.
Mum is no longer in that broken-down body and she’s freed to be fully with her Saviour Jesus and welcomed by her heavenly Father. But while on earth that body of hers once served so many good purposes. Here are but a few ...
An ear for music from Classical to Broadway,
An eye for art, garage sales and birds,
A palate for tasty meals, prepared daily for supper,
And two lips for a really good cuppa.
A nose for great values when shopping,
A voice for hymns and barbershopping,
Hands for pastels, charcoal and oil painting,
And green thumbs for indoor and outdoor gardening.
Strong arms for swimming and carrying,
A touch for clothes making and making them last,
Legs for keep-fit and Scottish country dancing,
Feet for peddling a bike whose life had long past.
A mind to be steadfast, and ride it out patiently,
Emotions that laughed, and cried secretly,
A soul for the Bible, Jesus and church,
And a heart for Dad, marriage and our family.
Barbara and Peter were married for 54 years before Dad died. Their greatest victory is their family of whom they were immensely proud.
“ Mum was many things. She was resourceful: if she needed something she didn’t have, she would use something else and make it work. She was creative: she cooked wonderful meals, sewed clothing, and painted beautiful pictures. She was courageous: she moved to Africa with two young children, and returned with three. She was musical: she loved to listen to the classics, and for many years she sang in a barber shop choir.
But most of all I will remember Mum as a giver. On a long cold winter afternoon, Mum was a plate of warm oatmeal cookies fresh from the oven to recharge you. On a hot day, Mum was bath of cool water to refresh you. And when you were struggling, Mum was a hug and a kind word to reassure you that it would be okay.
She gave of herself daily with a kind of quiet, selfless dedication. Keeping her family nourished and nurtured was her main mission, and her own interests were always secondary. In a world that seems increasingly self-oriented, Mum’s example of giving is an enduring reminder that we are here to help each other. I will always be grateful. “ (Barbara’s son Paul.)
Above all Mum loved Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. She prayed daily, studied His word in the Bible, worshipped Him in song and was ever confident in His Love for her. She knew she was promised new life in His resurrection and when her time came she walked peacefully into His Light.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on Thursday, 19 November at 12:00 at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home and Chapel, 1411 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Family and Friends may join a live stream of the event at www.funeraweb.tv
Online condolences, tributes and stories may be shared at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/ottawa-on/barbara-mcweeny-9899273
In memory of Barbara, donations to Compassionet Impact Development Canada or World Mission Prayer League will be deeply appreciated.
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