Mrs. Barbara Holmes-Burnet

Beloved mother of Trevor, Carrie and Candace (Toby). Cherished and adored grandmother of Chase, Raquel, Bronson, Chanelle and Alexis, and great-grandmother to Addy. Dear sister to Everett, Gloria (Chryar), Marcia and Wesley. She also will be remembered and missed by her niece Averil (David), nephews Delon, Aaron and Dante, and many cousins, great nieces and nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her son Trevor, parents Odell and Mabel, sister Gloria and brother Wesley.

As a child, Barbara was filled with curiosity, independence and was a natural born entertainer. She loved ice skating and painting, and took pride in looking out for her younger siblings. In the early 1960s, the Holmes family relocated to Burnaby, BC, where Barbara developed many lifelong friends.

Barbara was always very passionate about making a positive difference. In 1971, she and a group of other concerned mothers took on CN Rail because the neighbourhood children were being endangered when they crossed the railroad tracks to get to and from their elementary school. These mothers, who become known at the 'Militant Mothers of Raymur', were able to make CN Rail change their train schedule and persuaded the city to build an overpass to ensure the safety of the children. However, Barbara would always say that she was not being militant; she was just a concerned mother looking out for her children and the other neighbourhood kids. Also during this time, Barbara and some other community members developed the RayCam Cooperative Centre (she is proud to have named it) which continues to provide great service to the community to this day. In May 2022, the Raymur mothers were awarded a plaque from the City of Vancouver for their dedication and passion, and Barbara was on the front page of the Vancouver Sun and interviewed on several radio stations.

Barbara dedicated 30 years of her life working for the government, providing support and care to her multi-barriered clients. Shortly after she retired, she felt the call to give back and began working in group homes where she could support troubled youth. She was also a board member at the Tri Branch Co-op and the Post 83 Co-op. In both of those roles, she was focused on providing resources to help others improve their quality of life. She also assisted seniors in attending medical appointments, shopping, going to vote and supported them in advocating for their rights.

Barbara has always been focused on maintaining the history and connection of the local black community. As the Board President of the Canadian Black Cultural and Heritage Society, she was integral in the development and organization of the community picnic and dances.

It is difficult to truly encapsulate the life of such a great woman. She stood for so many wonderful qualities: positivity, honesty, laughter, generosity and forgiveness to name just a few. She really enjoyed spending time with family and friends, going to dim sum, listening to music, painting, caring for her ever increasing collection of camels, arranging flowers and growing plants.

When God called her home, she left a major void in our lives. She lived her life with deep integrity and respect for others, regardless of what they were going through. She will be greatly missed and will be forever in our hearts.

Family and Friends will be received on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby, BC. Services will be held in the chapel at 1:00 pm with the internment to follow. A Celebration of Life will be held afterwards, starting at 4pm at Bonsor Recreation Complex, Banquet Hall, 6550 Bonsor Ave, Burnaby, BC.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the Burnet family.