Gerald Matthew BARR

1930 - 2017

BARR, Gerald Matthew: Dec 17, 1930 - Mar 18, 2017. With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Gerald Matthew Barr on March 18, 2017. After many years battling COPD and Parkinson's Gerry passed away peacefully at home with his wife and family by his side. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on December 17, 1930, Gerry was adopted by Matthew and Mary Barr and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After a visit to BC in 1954, Gerry decided life (and the weather) was better here so he quit his job at General Electric in Winnipeg and began hitchhiking his way back to BC. Along the way he joined the Gayland Shows Carnival and worked his way to Kelowna by September 1955. After being hired at the Okanagan Centre packinghouse, Gerry met the love of his life, "that beautiful blond girl", Loretta, and married her in 1957. They then moved to Lillooet where daughter Cheryl was born, and son Scott was born two years later in Kelowna. After moving back to Winnipeg, Kathryn was born in 1965. In 1969 Gerry and the family moved back to BC for good. Gerry enjoyed many jobs in the early years but working for the Forestry and the PGE Railway were two of his favourites. He was most proud though, of his time working at the Merritt Detox Centre from the date it opened to the date it closed, and then later when he worked at Crossroads Treatment Centre in Kelowna. This is where his natural compassion, kindness, and ability to relate to anyone shone through, and Gerry made many friends and helped many people with his gentle, nonjudgmental nature. After retirement and his diagnosis of COPD, Gerry was proud to be a member of the committee that developed the COPD Service Framework for British Columbia, and became their "poster boy". Gerry made friends wherever he went. He was always ready for a good chat or to tell a wonderful story about his life. He was an intelligent and humorous man who loved to learn, to read, to dance and most of all, to spend time with his family. He was a true gentleman and we shall miss him, his jokes, his stories and his laughter so much. Gerry is survived by his wife and best friend of 59 years, Loretta, his children, Cheryl (Shane), Scott (Brenda), and Kathryn (Mark), grandchildren Brighton, Brooklyn, Jenson, Kalem, Bianca, Koa, and Jarod, and great-grandchildren Maximus, Paeton and Amarina, as well as his sister Jacqueline and her three sons and families, and his half-brother, Bill Baker. Gerry was sadly predeceased by his granddaughter Madison in 1994. The family wishes to thank the caregivers from IHA for your wonderful care and the wonderful conversations you had with dad. You brought him much joy. A celebration of Gerry's life will be held on Friday, March 31, at 2:00 p.m. in the Salvation Army Sanctuary, 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the British Columbia Lung Association (www.lung.ca). Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting Alternative Funeral (www.myalternatives.ca).