Barbara Joyce Fairhead

FAIRHEAD, Barbara Joyce, age 99 passed away peacefully on August 30th, 2020 at Evergreen House in North Vancouver, BC. Barbara will be sorely missed; survived by her three daughters, Allaine (& Garry) Sande, Wendy Redekop (& Rolf Roding) and Heather Fairhead. Grandchildren, David (& Abby) Rutledge, Tyler VanTighem, Tammi (& Ron) and Tanya (& Scott) Soltis. Great Grandchildren Sawyer, Shallaine & Cassidy Daley; Kaitlin & Lindsey Soltis and Hudson, Sienna & Rylan Rutledge.

Barbara was born to Lillian and Harry Logan on February 6th, 1921 and she also had a younger sister by two years, named Joan. The family moved to Burnaby Heights in 1924 and in 1930 they moved to their beautiful home which is still located on Capilano Road leading into the Capilano Salmon Hatcheries in North Vancouver. In those days, Barbara and her sister Joan would walk to Inglewood High School in West Vancouver and then to West Vancouver Senior High School. Barbara then went on to Business School. Barbara’s first job was working in a clerical position at McCauley Nichols & Associates. Barbara met her future husband, Allan Noel Fairhead while playing tennis at the Capilano Tennis Club. They were married on May 17th, 1941 in Regina, Saskatchewan and began married life in Winnipeg, Manitoba as Allan had enlisted with the Canadian Air Force. Interestingly, a couple of years later, Barbara’s sister, Joan married her husband, Allan’s younger brother, Cyril who was also in the Canadian Air Force and they had three daughters.

Barbara and family were stationed back to Vancouver for a short period of time and eventually sent to the remote Isolation Radar Base on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, called Holberg from 1954 to 1957. Then, overseas to 4-Wing in Germany with the Peace Corps until 1960. This is when Barbara and Allan took up tennis again and they won the Canadian Double Championship and Barbara won the Ladies Double. The last station posting was to Lincoln Park in Calgary where Barbara became the station’s librarian and setup a study room and maintained current materials for the students’ curriculums. In 1965, Allan retired and the family moved back to North Vancouver and lived in Barbara’s family home for a short while with her parents. Allaine, their eldest daughter stayed in Calgary; as she had set roots down with a good job and friends. The family then moved to 4th Avenue in Kitsilano where Barbara worked for the Singer Sewing Company as a salesperson and taught dressmaking and how to use the fancy stitch accessories. Then, Barbara decided to take a Business Management refresher course at Vancouver Vocational Institute and after graduation worked for a Printing Company and then at CU&C Health Services for 11 years in various positions. Barbara’s husband, Allan worked in the Land Registry Office in the Court House and both worked hard to save enough money to purchase a home in 1970 located on Jefferson Avenue in West Vancouver where they lived for over 32 years.

Barbara’s husband, Allan passed away in 1994 and she stayed in the house until 2003 at which time she moved into Hollyburn House where she was very happy and made many friends. Then in 2010, after a brief stay in Lions Gate Hospital, Barbara moved into Evergreen House and decided she would make this her new home. Barbara’s family would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to the constant care you provided. We will miss Barbara dearly; as she always took the time to pass along a smile and to really listen to each and everyone’s story and would give an encouraging and positive word to take away and remember always.