Barbara Joan Montague

Barb, born a MacMillan in Toronto on February 27, 1950, grew up in North York with her mom when her dad passed away at an early age.

Barb became a Nurse in North York, and fell for her lifetime love John (Jack) there. Together they moved out first to Deep River so Jack could continue his training, then to Oshawa where Barb took time off to raise their daughter Tracy and son Scott. Many years full of love were spent there, as well as the family cottage up on Drag Lake in Haliburton.

But Barb wasn't idle during these times, either, she volunteered in various positions with the Durham Regional Health Council most notably, attending conferences and helping set policy for the booming community. Her volunteering spirit carried her throughout her life, including volunteering for Hospice and sponsoring Afghan refugees.

In 1987, the family moved to a 10-acre plot north of Orono that they had bought and built from the ground up. After taking time off to raise the kids, Barb went back to work as a foot care nurse servicing everywhere from Newcastle to Port Perry. During that time you'd also find her on the riding lawnmower cutting a ridiculously large swath of grass so that the kids could have a place to toboggan, or hosting parties, weddings and anniversaries in the large house.

After the kids moved out, a pool was added to the house. And so were even more friends. Barb started attending an Aquafit class down in Courtice and then inviting people back for pool parties. Friendships which stood the test of time to the end.

Barb and Jack also started travelling more -- first for Jack's work, then even more during retirement. Everywhere from the Amazon to Alaska, from the Pyramids to the Pyrenees, the Singapore to Switzerland and in-between. They were joined in many of their travels by friends -- Sue and her husband Bill from Georgia, Mike and his son Justin, and dozens of other friends met on cruises and tours along the way.

In 2015, Barb and Jack sold the farm and moved up to Peterborough. Barb immediately jumped in, making friends out of neighbors Liz and Cliff, Allan and Arlene, Esteban and Laura and even joining a book club remotely during COVID. You just couldn't keep her down.

Barb also loved the dogs she had along the way, whether it be Punch chasing her along the shoreline of the cottage, or Judy bringing home a mostly dead mouse, or Monty romping in the back field, or Mandy answering the bells on the back porch, or Amber coming in for cuddles at awkward times, she loved them all.

Barb touched so many in her life -- her love lives on, but she will be missed dearly.