Obituary of Hilda Phyllis Barr

BARR: Hilda Phyllis Barr passed away peacefully, with family by her side, at the Brandon Regional Health Centre on Friday, November 22, 2019 at the age of 90 years. Hilda was born on January 7, 1929 to John and Martha Davidson on the family farm near Oak River, Manitoba. At the age of 15, she moved with her family to Brandon, where she attended BCI and later Saint Michael´s Academy. Following graduation she attended Normal School in Winnipeg, where she obtained her teaching certificate in 1949. She taught briefly, then later found a job working for Trader´s Finance in Brandon. In 1951 Hilda married Jim Barr, and in 1953 they moved into a newly built house on 25th Street in Brandon. She would live in the same house until 2017 – a remarkable 64 years in total. Hilda lived a full and active life. Together with Jim she enjoyed dancing, travelling, and attending many different sporting events. Gardening was another great passion of hers, and each spring she would enthusiastically look forward to tending to her plants and flowers. Weeding, however, was not a favorite pastime! Her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She and Jim welcomed three kids into their lives, and they immersed themselves fully into each and every one of their activities. Nothing mattered more to Hilda than her family, and her joy was increased a thousandfold when her grandchildren came along. She felt truly blessed to be a grandmother, and she spent countless hours reading stories, making crafts, and playing games with her five grandchildren. Her kindness extended well beyond her circle of family, and she was beloved by many for her generosity, her selflessness, and her genuine care and compassion for others. Her door was always open to young and old – many neighborhood kids were known to stop by for card games or to enjoy a slice of her famous chocolate cake. Hilda will be lovingly remembered by her children: sons Neil (Rosa) of Santiago, Chile, Brian (Jamie) of Vancouver, and daughter Sandra (Gary Atkinson) of Brandon, along with grandchildren Stephen, Kathryn, and David Barr and Kristin and Jayme Atkinson. She was predeceased by her husband Jim in November 2014. Throughout her life, Hilda carried herself with poise, dignity, and a quiet grace. She was truly special, and she will be deeply missed. Hilda was honored by a memorial reception at the George Brockie Fellowship Centre on November 27, 2019. Donations in memory of Hilda may be made to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), 354-10th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 4G1, or the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation, ¨Palliative Care¨, 150 McTavish Avenue East, Brandon, MB, R7A 2B3.