Dr. Garth Barrie Purves

Barrie was born in Riceton, Saskatchewan in the fall of 1942. Growing up in a small town had an everlasting influence on his life. His early lessons in farming from his father and grandfather, and the importance of education imparted to him by his schoolteacher mother, always remained with him. He attended the University of Saskatchewan for his undergraduate and medical school education, interned in Chicago, and completed his neurosurgery training in Vancouver. In 1971, after crossing paths during their medical training and a whirlwind courtship, he married Sherrill Swift. Barrie started his career at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver and eventually took on a leadership role at the hospital while continuing to run active neurosurgery practices in both North Vancouver and Burnaby. He was greatly admired for his gentle teaching style, his high expectations for positive outcomes, and playful humour. He was a visionary and always worked toward forward progress. He fostered teamwork and everlasting friendships. His energy was boundless and he always had time to be a loving father for his three daughters, and a mentor and friend for his wife, as she pursued a career in neurosciences and eventually clinical neurology.

The family moved to Sioux City, Iowa in 1992, and there Barrie formed many more enduring friendships, had an opportunity to rekindle his love of the prairies. He enjoyed working in the supportive medical community. He was instrumental in building a large group practice called CNOS as well as the Siouxland Surgical Center that served the surrounding tristate area. Barrie and Sherri also actively supported a variety of local organizations in leadership roles for their governance and fundraisers.

He was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2002, but with grace and fortitude he endured the treatments and continued to live a good life for many years. He enjoyed a return to the Vancouver area, where he was able to spend cherished time with his grandchildren, as well as walking the islands of the Fraser delta, travelling abroad, and building a vacation home on Sidney Island.

Barrie is well remembered for his adventurous spirit, bright determination, and unending knowledge as an aficionado of many things but especially wine, gardening, and cooking. He was an adventurous sailor, a hunter who could shoot well, a powerful if “wide track” skier, a daring diving partner, and a handy repair man for almost anything. He loved spending time exploring the outdoors with his devoted dogs, family or friends and enjoyed travelling the world with Sherri in the company of friends or their daughters.

He was blessed to have had a fairly short final stage of life and thanks to great support from the North Shore Palliative Care team and his family he was able to spend his last weeks in his own home and died peacefully on March 11th, 2016 at the age of 73. He is survived, loved and missed by his wife Sherri, his 3 daughters Erica Crilly (David Crilly), Carla Purves, Alissa Crean ( John Crean) ; 4 grandchildren Jack and Ryan Crilly, Madeleine and Johnny Crean ; 3 sisters Beverly Downey, Becky Beyersbergen, Beryl Muniz; and a wide network of extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family would like to honour Barrie’s love of the outdoors and his compassion for medical care of the less fortunate. Donations can be made to Ducks Unlimited www.ducks.ca , Mercy Ships www.mercyships.ca or www.lghfoundation.com. See www.hollyburnfunerals.com for more information.

Celebration of Life for Barrie Purves begins Wednesday April 6 at 2 pm with speeches to start at 2:30pm at Stanley Park Pavillon, Vancouver BC