Barbara KARSH

KARSH, Barbara
Barbara Christina Fraser Karsh, nee Holmes, aged 94, died peacefully on May 21, 2017, at her home in Ottawa. Barbara was born on July 19, 1922, in Balgonie, Saskatchewan, and was the daughter of Lt.-Col. A.W. Holmes and Olive Kathleen Fraser Holmes. She was the longest-lived of a family of six siblings that included her sisters Anna Jean Rouse and Kathleen Patterson and brothers Donald, Alan and Arthur Holmes. Barbara married Malak Karsh, the Ottawa photographer, on December 26, 1942, and she was his lifelong love and business partner for 60 years. After Malak's death on November 8, 2001, at age 86, she carried on with the business, producing books and exhibitions of his treasured photographs. Malak travelled extensively to photograph Canada's great landscapes while Barbara remained in Ottawa; she managed, memorized and catalogued his extensive library of photographs. Barbara also oversaw and conducted all aspects of the business of photography, raised four children and maintained lifelong friendships. Barbara was an accomplished photographic technician and applied her customer knowledge and creative flair to help suggest subjects for Malak's photographs. When time allowed, she volunteered at church or used her artistic talents to knit, crochet, collect dolls and make clothes for her children and grandchildren. From the beginning of their marriage, Barbara and Malak enjoyed vacationing in the Gatineau and spent many happy summers at the family cottage, aptly named Malabar Meadows. Barbara was the loving mother of Sidney (Elizabeth), Michael (Jane), Laurence (Marcia) and Marianne, proud grandmother of Jennifer, Jeremy, Sarah, Alison, Nigel, Amanda, Cynthia, Patrick and Alexina, and doting great- grandmother of Charlotte. Barbara's collaboration with Malak saw them through illness and challenges to great success in the city and country that they loved. Among the many honours Malak received, and for which he always gave Barbara an equal share of the credit, were the Order of Canada, the Keys to the City of Ottawa, the Whitton Award and the National Film Board of Canada's Gold Medal. Together, they chronicled the beauty of Canada, with their work forever preserved by Library and Archives Canada. On Saturday, May 27, 2017, there will be a visitation at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street (at O'Connor), Ottawa from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The memorial service will be held on May 28, 2017, at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, 154 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, at 2 p.m. It will be preceded by a visitation at the church at 1 p.m. Barbara will be interred beside Malak in Wakefield, Quebec. Barbara enjoyed the company of her caregivers and continuously expressed her appreciation and gratitude for the support they provided her. The family wishes to thank the many caregivers and medical professionals who saw her through her illness. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa at 1750 Russell Rd., Suite 1742, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z6 http://alzheimerottawa.ca.