Barbara Paradis

Barbara Paradis (née Massey) died on April 18th of complications after a stroke. She was predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Jerry, and her son, Luc. She is survived by her daughter Lia (Edmund) who was with her when she peacefully let go after struggling so valiantly. She utilized MAiD and was so grateful to live in a country where such a humane and dignified death is possible.

She was a loving and inspiring wife and mother who always pushed us to do better just by believing in us. She had various interesting jobs before starting her own business, compiling trial transcripts for the courts of appeal in BC. She was a fiercely independent woman who loved travel, tennis, theatre, movies, and a good game of bridge. With Jerry, she travelled extensively, sharing a curiosity about the world and a sense of adventure that first took her from Australia to Europe in 1960 and then to Canada, eventually settling in Vancouver.

She will be sorely missed by her many friends and her family. She was a woman of substance, a great storyteller, kind and understated, but suffering no fools. In her honour, take a few minutes to do whichever of the following suits your taste: watch some tennis, eat some licorice, play bridge, or plan a trip somewhere. She was also a sunworshipper even though she knew it was bad for her. So, you could wait until the weather gets better and lie out in the sun for an hour. It’s what she’d do.

There will be a celebration of life at First Memorial Boal Chapel in North Vancouver at 2 pm on Monday, May 26th, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation.