Barbara Marie Gates

It is with sadness, yet faith of her now being in God’s loving arms, that the family of Barbara Gates announce her passing on Monday, May 8, 2023. Barb was the second daughter of Irvine and Minnie (Bishop) Gates of Port Williams, NS. Barb was born June 23, 1945 at Wolfville. She grew up on her parent’s farm. She attended a one room schoolhouse at Town Plot, followed by two rural high schools (Cornwallis and Horton Districts). In 1966 she graduated from Acadia University with a Diploma in Secretarial Science. There she met Jeff Saunders, whom she married in 1966, and they were blessed with two sons, Kevin and Todd. They resided in various parts of Ontario. She was predeceased by both Jeff and Todd, as well as her parents and brother, John of Rhode Island. On return to NS, Barb worked with the NS Department of Education and Dartmouth Marine. She remarried Bernard Shiers who has also predeceased her. Before she lost her ability to do handwork, Barb enjoyed doing needlepoint and quilting, and her room was adorned with her work. Barb has had many losses in her life, including her health, for which she has received supportive residential care for many years, for the last ten at the Admiral Long Term Care Home in Dartmouth. The family extends our profound thanks to the staff who compassionately tended Barb during the time she was there. Barb is survived by her son, Kevin Saunders (Lisa) of Burlington, ON; brother, Carleton (Frona Bowlby) of Aylesford, NS; sister, Marion (Robert Waddell) of Toronto, ON; sister, Doris Gates (Peter Thorpe) of Dartmouth, NS. She is also survived by eleven nieces and nephews: Doug Gates (Marianne Gillis) of Port Williams, Elizabeth Ward (George Wicks) of Port Williams; Craig Gates (Michelle MacDonald) of Auburn, NS; Sharon Bee (Allan Fowler) of London, ON ; Jennifer Waddell, Alison Waddell, and Robert Waddell (Holly Purdon) all of Toronto, ON; Jonathan Gates (Kingston, R.I.); Sander Gates (Karen Wozniak) of East Greenwich, R.I.; Laura Thorpe, of Dartmouth; Julie Thorpe (Amirali Salehi-Abari) of Whitby, ON; as well as 16 Grand- nieces and nephews and 2 Great Grandnieces. A family graveside farewell to Barb will be held at Fox Hill Cemetery, Port Williams on Monday, May 15 at 3pm. Donations in her memory may be made to Parkinson’s Canada or the Salvation Army.