Barbara passed away peacefully in Victoria, BC after a courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by her children, Daniel, Diane (Michael) Gillis and Jim (Barbara). Lovingly known as Nana Babs, Nana Darling and “Great” Nana, Barbara was so proud of her grandchildren, Max Gillis (Krystal), Kate Wright (Philip), Spencer Gillis (Daniella) and Taïgan Coffey and great-grandchildren, Claire and Tyson Gillis and Charlie Wright. Her greatest pleasure was received spending time with her family, friends, volunteering, and travelling the world. She worked for many years with the homeless in downtown Toronto and Victoria. Barbara was an inspiring model for a life well-lived and will be missed by many.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
A Celebration of Life will be held in Ontario when appropriate guidelines allow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your charity of choice or; St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON; Doctors without Borders; BC Cancer Agency or Victoria Hospice, Victoria, BC. Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com.
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Ross Crate
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Christine and Rory Filer Rory and I were so sad to hear that your mom passed away. Our thoughts are with you and the rest of the family
Sincerely,
Christine and Rory
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Jan Stirling-Twist Dear Diane, Jim and Daniel, and all your families,
We send you our deepest sympathies as you adjust to the loss of your wonderful mother, Nana, and Great-Nana. Barb was a good friend and kindred spirit to my mother Annie Stirling. They knew each other through their work with homeless women in Toronto, and later through their love of Mexico where they shared many winters together in Barra de Navidad. It was through my mom that we met Barb 16 years ago. We were lucky to have her here in Peterborough in recent years, and to share many lovely times with her in Barra and in San Miguel de Allende. Barb became a cherished part of our lives and we mourn her passing with you. One couldn’t spend any time with Barb without knowing how deeply loved and valued you all were to her. May you take comfort in knowing you were the loves of her life. Sincerely, Jan Stirling-Twist and Huel Twist, Peterborough Ontario
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Anne Brown Diane and family,
We are so sorry to hear about your loss. It’s so difficult to lose a mother and a best friend! She will be remembered as a beautiful, classy, kind lady. Sending our love!
Danny and Anne Brown
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Regan Copeland Barb was my mother Lillian’s best friend. They were like sisters and Barb became like a beloved aunt for myself and my brothers. We’re so very fortunate to have been able to count her as part of the family. I will miss her extraordinary combination of an easy-going, good-natured disposition coupled with finely-honed practical wisdom.
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Andrew Sommers It was a blessing to be able to refer to this fine lady as Auntie Barb and it is my hope that come this Sunday she is upstairs enjoying Sunday dinner with Bob and Joy!! A kind person who will be missed greatly by those who knew her and the baker of the most killer chocolate cake ever!! Thanks for being a part of my life!!
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Peter Carey Diane and family
Please accept our deepest condolences for your loss. Remembering all the wonderful times we celebrated.
Thinking of you all at this difficult time.Peter
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John Piccininni Di/Mike and family – so sorry to hear of your loss , I wanted to pass along my condolences and thoughts. Fond memories of the Kingsway always felt welcome !! Happy to hear that Barb was able to be out west with her family – John ( Peach )
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Heather Carroll Diane I remember your Mom as the elegant lady of the Kingsway. So kind and always dressed to the nines.
My condolences to you all
Heather Carroll
Our Lady of Sorrows School
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Sue {LaPrairie) Davis Dear Barb family Barb and I shared an adventurous summer at the Banff Springs Hotel. Barb was a
Parlor Maid and I was a Chambermaid. She always looked adorable in a fancy outfit while I was in an ill fitting dress carrying a cleaning bucket with me. We did keep in touch in Montreal but the move to
Toronto, young families and distance caused us to lose touch. But I do often recall her sweet smile,
calm nature and her friendliness. And yes, I will always smile when remembering her.In my thoughts and prayers.
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Ainslie Willock My sincere condolences to Barb’s family.
We all have great memories of the times we spent with her. She told me I was the first person to say hi to her at the Clarendon. We met in the garage and became close friends. She came to Bayfield with mutual friends to visit me and we all went to the Barn to visit her. We’d share her speciality, awesome appetizers, and white wine. Great conversations were had at dinner tables about current events, travel, friends, family, and Barb was always planning an adventure or had just returned from one.
Barb was a dedicated dog person. But she learned to like a cat when she looked after mine. She was truly amazed when SP insisted on sitting on her lap. Barb rose to the occasion at SP’s persistence.
Barb made life fun. She enjoyed people and was always quick to help. She’d pick me up at the airport on returning from a business trip. She even shared her home with friends of mine who were visiting with their first baby.
Like you, I miss her smile, warmth and great stories.
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Kathy Sullivan Diane, Mike and the Coffey/Gillis clan,
Sending Love from all of the White Oak Sullivan’s. Remembering Barb from very early days as a generous soul and all round awesome lady! Kathy, Ian, Trish and Lisa and our own dear Barb…still with us. We suspect Murray and your Barb will be raising a glass in heaven with a chuckle for a job well done 🙂
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Kathy Sullivan Dear Di,
Your mom was a lifesaver for sure! I certainly know that she saved mine many times. She took me in when I was a lost soul and treated me like family, just as you cared for me as a sister. I have so many warm memories of Barb as if it were yesterday. Sitting in the kitchen at Colwood with a glass of wine and laughs. Lots of kitchens and good food. She was so smart and beautiful in every way. I admired the close relationship that you shared with your mom. And I’m full of gratitude for having the opportunity to know her as my adopted mom for a time. I’ve lost the thread I have with you but I would love to catch up on missed time. I’m so happy your Barb was able to stick around to get to know grandchildren. Wow! My love to you and Mike and your big gang there. xo Kath Sully.
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Robert Heyding Barb Coffey was an oasis of calm at the ‘416’ women’s drop-in-centre in downtown Toronto.
She was a tremendous support to her friend Joy Reid and the Friends of
Shopping Bag Ladies. In the middle of all the chaos she always had the smile
that you see in this picture.
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Patrick Walsh Dianne and family, so sorry to hear of your loss. Pat and Maureen Walsh
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Phyllis Donaghy I remember Barbara from her time in Montreal. Her husband was a fraternity brother of my husband’s. She was a talented pianist. She will be missed by her family and friends. I have not seen Barbara for many years.
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Jan MacDonald Diane and family….I’m so sorry to read of your mom’s passing in the paper today. I remember well the times I saw her in Kingston – what an incredibly elegant and kind woman, mother and grandmother she was. My thoughts are with you xo
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Rosemary Forsyth I only knew Barb as a wonderful friend to my sister, Patricia Young, in Peterborough. The few times I met her, I was struck by her elegance, her sweetness and her gentle grace. She seemed to me to be the epitome of a “ lady”. Her generosity was spontaneous and genuine as evidenced when she kindly offered us the use of her apartment to stay in – twice. I live in Alberta, but came east during my other sister, Kathy’s, bout with cancer, and later with my husband, after she had succumbed to it. The opportunity to have Barb’s place to stay in during a very stressful time was very much appreciated. She offered it immediately and graciously. She will be missed by many. My thoughts and condolences to all her family and friends. May happy memories sustain you at this time.
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Ian Hardcastle McGill, fashion model, concert pianist, executives wife, kingsway mother of 3. Barbara spent her life caring for family, friends, homeless and the forgotten. We were friends and travelling companions for 30 years from Timbuktu to Angkor Wat. I noticed younger women looking at Barbara as an icon. Someone they respected and admired. Love to all the family. We will certainly miss her loving influence.
Ian Hardcastle
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Sara Smith I’ve known Barb for most of my life through my grandfather Ian Hardcastle. About 7 years ago I joined them in Nicaragua where she spent the majority of her time trying to give back to the community and help the homeless with numerous acts of kindness and generosity. I’ll never forget one lunch we shared in Grenada, we spoke about the presence of poverty and how it differed between there and home. She went on to tell me about all the different ways she’d given back to communities over the years. Her position at St. Mike’s meant so much to her and I’m sure even a small interaction with her would have provided comfort for many patients. As a teenager I was fascinated by her intricate and exotic tales of travel. One particular story that has stuck with me for years was her description of her trip and the cultural norms in Lugu Lake, China. I never knew about it until she told me that story, but I have never forgotten Lugu Lake and I still hope one day I’ll be able to get there. Sending my most heartfelt condolences, she will be greatly missed and very fondly remembered.
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Suzanne (Hardie) Birk Diane, we are so sorry to hear this news. My mother Eileen Hardie is devastated, she loves her dearly.
Our deepest condolences
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Winnie Hunt Dear Family of Barb
My Aunt Winnifred and I send our sympathy to you all and will surely miss our dear friend Barb. She was such a kindred spirit and we had lots of fun together especially when she threw an elegant dinner party. She was the hostess with the mostest.
So glad we have beautiful memories and can celebrate her life joyfully.
Sincerely
Winnie Hunt
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Charles Shamess I am so sorry for the loss of your dear mother and grandmother. Barb was a good friend and I was fortunate to enjoy many visits, dinners, travel and glasses of white wine or a margarita with her. She inspired me to learn more, think deeply, give of myself and live as authentically as possible. I will miss her wit, grace and fierce determination to live and love fully. Her friends around the globe mourn the loss of such a beautiful soul. May her memory be a blessing to all who were graced with her presence.
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Marie O'Shea and Gordon Morrison We are missing Barb. Her kindness and good humour, in all circumstances, never ceased to inspire. Truly, a life well lived. We are sitting here in Ottawa smiling at our good fortune in having known someone like Barb. Wishing love and light to all Barb’s family and friends, Marie&Gordon
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Madeleine McDowell Diane I am so very sorry. I shall miss knowing Barb is there. I have kept in touch through Dana, because I didn’t want to bother Barb. Love, Madeleine
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Chris Reid We will miss our adopted mom at our Reid family holidays. Her kindness and warmth was always enveloping those around her and her insight and intelligence a welcome addition to the dinner debates. May your thoughts of her warm your heart before the tears fill your eyes. Big hugs. Sorry we can’t be there in person.
But me and my true love
will never meet again
on the bonnie bonnie shore
Of Lake Balsam,
We were both born in 1933
We were both piano students
taught by the same teacher
Summertime of 1940 on till 1944
In adjacent cottages was
where we mainly met, though
our families were friends
elsewhere before and after that.
We took turns playing an old
pump organ in my cottage on which
sat our plaster busts of famous composers
Barb said she thought I was like Beethoven,
who said that music was the mediator
between the spiritual and the sensual life,
though of course I didn’t know that then,
however right it seems in retrospect, since
I can still see clearly in my mind’s eye
what a beautiful little girl she was.
Ross Crate, C.A., C.P.A. a.k.a.”sourpuss”