Barry Thomas Coates

Barry died as he lived - on his own terms and on his own schedule. He was blessed to have spent his final days in the caring comfort of Innisfree House hospice.

Barry was predeceased by his parents, Maura and Norman Coates of Cambridge, and two sisters-in-law, Lynda Coates and Janet Butts, both of Cambridge. He was also pre-deceased by his nephew Mark Coates of Cambridge.

Surviving Barry are three brothers, Al of Cambridge, David (Jane) of Toronto and Martyn of Kingston. He is also survived by his niece Amanda and his nephew Christopher (Melissa), all of Toronto.

Barry lived his adult life on the margins of society, but remained stubbornly self-reliant until his final days. He never fell in love, having decided - correctly - that he didn’t have the capacity to provide for another.

But he was smart, informed, trustworthy and loyal - and, despite his difficulties, he always rose to meet the many challenges of life and living. He was loved and respected by many - and his heart swelled, late in life, by just how many good people and good friends he found in his corner. We say goodbye to our brother with sadness and tears - and we pray that he may be enjoying the afterlife with his family in Heaven.

Barry wished to leave this Earth quietly and without fuss. As such, there will be no public service or interment ceremony. Barry’s ashes will be scattered into a river that leads to Lake Ontario to take him via ocean current to the around-the-world trip that he could only dream of during his lifetime.

Goodbye, dear brother. We are fiercely proud of a very good man who lived his life as best he could and has now moved on to a quieter, more peaceful world.

We wish to thank The Bridges shelter in Cambridge for its support of Barry over his final few years. We are also deeply grateful to housing support worker Jeanette Ferguson and to nurse practitioner Cindy Shobbrook for their selfless care and concern for Barry during his final months with us.