Barry Westerman Jr.

      When Barry Westerman Jr. walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Barry was and how he impacted those around him. Barry was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Barry wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Barry was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.

      Barry was born on September 17, 1972 at Oshawa Hospital in Oshawa, Ontario. He was the son of Barry and Brenda Westerman. Barry was raised in Oshawa, Ontario. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Barry might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Barry was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

      Barry was raised with two brothers. He had two older brothers Harold and Henry. Barry was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Barry was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Barry well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

      As a young boy, Barry was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Barry was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. He was a boy scout. In his spare time he liked hockey cards. Barry had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.

      During his high school years, at Durham Christian High, Barry responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. Barry was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. Barry absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. For Barry, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Barry a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything.

      Barry did well in college, as a result of his comfort level with tackling new theories and his love of learning. He attended Sir Sandford Fleming. Barry was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Barry's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that he enjoyed virtually every class he took. Barry was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, Barry was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Barry was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. While growing up, some of his best friends were Eric Lammers and Brad de Wolde. Later in life, he became friends with John Demello, Bill Eyre and Adrian Sirett.

      Barry was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Barry, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Westerman home. Barry's skill at understanding his children's feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Barry was blessed with two children: Dalton and Jasmine Westerman.

      Barry was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was Radiation Protection Technician. He was employed for 17 years at Ontario Power Generation. Barry was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. Barry had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. Barry's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

      Because Barry loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were golfing, travelling, attending football and basketball games. Barry had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Barry's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

      Barry derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. His charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. Recreational sports included golf. Barry was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, golf and soccer.

      Barry was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member Hope Fellowship Church. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for his beliefs.

      Though he never did anything solely for individual recognition, Barry's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned him accolades for his many lifelong efforts. Some of his most prestigious awards included numerous golf trophies.

      Barry's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Barry took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. Favorite vacations included Westerman family cruise, Europe with his kids, Holland for world cup of soccer, numerous cruises and Florida.

      Barry was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Spunky the Jack Russel terrier, was a best friend for 5 years.

       He is survived by his children Dalton and Jasmine, his mother and father Barry and Brenda his brothers and their wives Harold (Diane) and Henry (Yvonne). His nieces and nephews, Alan and Chantal, John and Emma, Brenda, Derek, Deanna, Colleen, Justine and Brent. Services were held at Hope Fellowship Church. Barry was laid to rest in Bowmanville Cemetery.

      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Barry. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Barry Westerman for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Barry was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.

* * * * * * * * * *

WESTERMAN, Barry Jr. -- passed away on Sunday April 25, 2021 at the age of 48. Loving son of Barry Sr. and Brenda Westerman. Loved by his children Dalton and Jasmine and their mother Melissa. Dear brother of Harold (Diane) and Henry (Yvonne). Barry will be greatly missed by his many nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.

A "Drive Past" visitation will take place on Saturday May 1, 2021 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at 2086 Nash Road, in Bowmanville. Please remain in your vehicles and abide by all COVID protocols.

A Funeral Service will be held on Monday May 3, 2021 at 11:30 am at Hope Fellowship Church Courtice (by invitation only). The service will be recorded and available for viewing at 2:00 pm using the following link:

AlWesterman-youtube.com

A Private family interment service will follow at Bowmanville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Memorial Donations to the Trillium Gift of Life or the Diabetes Association would be appreciated.

Words of condolence or expressions of sympathy for the family may be left at www.courticefuneralchapel.com