Francis "Frank" Taylor Barber

1927-2025

Francis (Frank) Taylor Barber, a longtime resident of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2025. He was born on July 7, 1927, and was predeceased by his first wife, Catherine (nee Crewe), his wife, Shirley (nee Stevens), his son, Robert William Barber, and his brothers, Robert and Jack Barber.

He will be deeply missed by his daughter, Deborah Nazarevich, son-in-law Alexius, and his grandchildren, Alexander, Larissa, and Stefan. He will also be fondly remembered by his dear friend and companion, Peta Martin, who brought him love and joy during the later years of his life.

Frank grew up in Verdun, Quebec. He served with pride in the Royal Canadian Artillery from 1943 to 1946, including overseas service in France and Germany. After returning from the war, he worked for General Mills in Quebec and Ontario. In 1956, he moved with his young family to Nova Scotia, where he owned and operated Trebley Brokerage, a food distribution company, for 30 years until his retirement in 1986.

A passionate follower of politics, Frank was a dedicated member of the Progressive Conservative Party. He served as an Alderman in Dartmouth from 1967 to 1973 and held the role of Deputy Mayor during that time. In 1986, he was appointed by the Honourable Roland Thornhill to serve as Commissioner of the Nova Scotia Pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was Chairman of the Nova Scotia Small Business Development Corporation, Chairman of the Nova Scotia Venture Capital Board, a Director of Nova Scotia Industrial Estates and a Director of Via Rail Canada, Inc.

Frank loved sports and was a longtime member of both the Brightwood Golf & Country Club and the Dartmouth Curling Club, where he made many lasting friendships. Frank loved to play cards and had many great games over the years with his friends and his grandchildren.

Frank wished to express his deep gratitude to those who supported him during his later years, especially while dealing with serious health challenges. His longtime friends, John and Heather Keating provided countless rides to medical appointments and were by his side during emergencies. Judy and Gary Hollett made sure he never went hungry, stayed cool in the summer, and received help with all things technical. Ron and Jean Mitchell and Lenny and Pat Smith, his thoughtful neighbors, for their support and assistance and who helped make his later life more comfortable. Frank was truly grateful for the kindness shown to him by his friends and fellow card players at Cedar Glen Apartments where he resided for many years.

The family would also like to thank the staff at Camp Hill Hospital for their compassionate care of Frank in his final days.

Frank will be cremated and as per his request there will be no funeral or visitation.

The family welcomes messages of condolence and shared memories which can be forwarded to the Funeral Home website.