Barbara Luke

1931 - 2021

LUKE, Barbara March 5, 1931 - August 19, 2021 Barbara Luke passed away peacefully August 19th in her Victoria residence, age 91. Barbara is survived by sons Gareth ((Carolyn) and Peter (Ruth) and her close friends and confidants Fran and Paul Daviss whose friendship and guidance made such a difference to the quality of life Mum enjoyed over these last number of years. Born in Llantrisant Wales, Barbara grew up in a beautiful home called Mill House and was one of two daughters (Pat Martin) of Catherine and Bernard Jeremiah. After schooling at Teachers College, Barbara only 24 set off to "the Argentine" (as she liked to call it). For the next 3 years Mum lived in Buenos Aires where she taught school, skied, hunted, trekked, rode and embraced everything Spanish. It was on her passage to South America where she met her future husband. Robert was a junior officer aboard the passenger liner RMS Alcantara and at a passenger ball one night they become acquainted and struck up a long term (and in the early going long distance) romance that was to last over 50 years. Barbara was drawn back to the UK after a few years of great adventure in Buenos Aries and before long she and Robert married and headed off to Nova Scotia to start a new life as Robert had joined the Canadian navy. There in Halifax they began to raise their family of three children. Robert was frequently off to sea and Mum magnificently made the adjustment from sun and sand in the Argentine to winters in Nova Scotia! The family eventually settled to Oakwood Avenue in Dartmouth. Our childhood memories of family swims and skates on Penhorn Lake, tobogganing down Oakwood and summer camping trips around Nova Scotia are still fresh. On Oakwood Avenue Mum started up her neighbourhood famous kindergarten, teaching classes of about twelve children a year. She ran a very popular program with often a two year waiting list. With Mum's attention to detail her "graduates" were always well prepared and ready for the big world of Grade Primary! Mum believed in a healthy dose of the "Three R's", art, music and manners (impeccable). To this day Mum is fondly remembered by many who proudly extol that they "went to Mrs Luke's kindergarten". With a move to Victoria in 1980 Mum must have felt as though she was back in her native UK. She loved the city, the climate and the scenery.. so much like home! Upon reflection, it wasn't hard to miss that Mum was Welsh. Her accent was always with her and tea always had to be served in her favourite China cup. Making a good cup of tea was a skill the children all learned early in life! Mum was well known to send it back if the colour was not just right (!), something frequently albeit unsuccessfully challenged by her children. Grilled cheese sandwiches and Kraft dinner were not on the menu at Oakwood Avenue (but tiddy oggies and bubble and squeak were!) and gin and tonic was the preferred aperitif! Neither of her two sons grew up to be even marginal hockey players by Canadian standards but we will put that one on Dad. One of the highlights for Mum and Dad was during the 1976 Olympics where Dad as the Commander of HMCS Sagueney provided escort to HMS Britannia to Kingston for the sailing venue. Our parents had a private meeting with the Queen and Duke. We're sure they talked about old times in the UK. In Victoria Mum enjoyed gardening and was very active with her daily tennis games. To be asked who was the better tennis player, Mum or Dad, Mum would always reply with "Oh, don't be silly". Mum joined a Spanish club and continued her life long French lessons. Mum loved walking her dog(s) Rufus and Cindy in the parks in Colwood and around Metchosin. They also enjoyed entertaining and it was a rare weekend at Olympic View Drive when there wasn't a dinner or afternoon deck party planned. Mum spent her last years at Carleton House and Sunrise Senior Living in Victoria and we would like to thank the staff there for their fine care of our mother. Mum was a favourite of the staff at Sunrise… always cheerful and "never wanting to be a bother". I am sure she will be missed there. At Sunrise Mum was very content to work on her cryptic crossword puzzles and anything else that challenged her intellectually. She loved her phone calls with grandsons Jack and David and was always keenly interested in their progress. A memory that perhaps we are most thankful for was when all of our Canadian family managed to fly in to surprise Mum for her 90th birthday. We all had a wonderful week with her, revisiting childhood stories and telling new ones. Mum was just beaming! Barbara is predeceased by her husband Robert and daughter Jacqueline. A private family service has taken place in Metchosin.