Barry Thomas WATERS

1948 - 2021

BARRY THOMAS WATERS April, 1948 - March, 2021 Barry died at Surrey Memorial Hospital, B.C., 15 months following a diagnosis of esophageal cancer. He was 72. Barry was born in Vancouver, B.C. and grew up on Vancouver Island, in Courtenay and Royston. He attended the University of British Columbia, graduating in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. His first employment following graduation was with Atomic Energy of Canada at their Whiteshell Nuclear Research Station in Pinawa, Manitoba. It was here that he met summer student and fellow UBC graduate, Barbara Hillier. They were married one year later, in Winnipeg. Shortly afterwards, Barry began graduate studies in Biochemistry but after one year his innate business sense prevailed. He switched his studies to the MBA program at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. Following this graduation, he began his 15 year career with Atlas Specialty Steels in the Sales and Marketing departments in Welland, ON and Montreal QC. Along the way, son Michael and daughter Sarah arrived. In 1989, it was time for a change. He moved the family to B.C. where he spent time in the sales and marketing departments of Wilkinson Metals, Vancouver and Laidlaw Environmental Services, Delta B.C. Barry next joined the Nickel Development Institute and moved back to Toronto. Michael and Sarah embraced the west coast lifestyle and remained there, but Barb was eventually persuaded to join Barry in Ontario. 'Move to Toronto and you'll see the world', was the promise. Over the next few years, the international activities of NiDI provided the couple with opportunities to set foot on every continent except Antarctica - although they did see penguins in their rookery on a South African beach. Barry retired in 2009 and the couple returned west, to Surrey, in order to be close to family. They continued to travel, with additional trips to Europe, along with winter getaways to Hawaii and Mexico, and summer excursions along the B.C. coast. It took cancer combined with a pandemic to finally bring an end to Barry's travel adventures. He leaves wife Barbara, son Michael, daughter Sarah, grandchildren Holly and River, brother Robert and extended family on Vancouver Island. The family includes his nonagenarian Aunt Doris Wirta, sister to mother Gladys Gemeroy (predeceased), the Michelson twins on Malcolm Island, B.C. Barry's life will be celebrated at a family gathering later this year.