McKAY; Barbara Joan (nee Easterbrook)
Born July 11, 1931 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and passed peacefully at Bevan Lodge in Abbotsford, BC, September 20, 2014. She was pre-deceased by her husband of 42 years Gordon, father Edwin and mother Jean Easterbrook. She is survived by daughter Susan Avery (Bob) and sons Don (Denise), Rob (Marnie) and Terry (Naomi), grandchildren Brad (Megan) Avery, Doug McKay, Niki Bell (Ryan), Steven McKay, Brendan McKay (Joanna), Jessica McKay, Toni Stirrett (Simon), Bobby McKay, brother Daun Easterbrook, brother-in-law Steve Medve and dear friends Gert and Murphy Shuker. Barb grew up on a farm in Carragana near Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan during the depression era 1930s and WWII. Many stories of farmyard pranks, riding horses to school and listening to distant battles on the radio. Her father being the Reeve of Carragana, she recounts Tommy Douglas being at the farm for lunch on occasion. Warm memories of Marion and George McCabe and Ken and Bob Hopper. After high school Barb spent 3 grueling but enjoyable years attaining her RN at Victoria Union teaching hospital in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, where she met her husband Gord. Barb worked in Calgary nursing for one year with childhood friend and classmate Isabel MacDonald before returning to PA in 1954 and nursing at Victoria Union until 1968. Barb was intimately involved with the birth of Medicare in Canada in 1961 with Dr. Orville Hjertaas as her family doctor and workmate. With 4 kids in tow, Barb and Gord moved to Abbotsford in the summer of 1968. Barb was an RN, Head Nurse and Supervisor at MSA Hospital, Maternity and 2 East, until her retirement in 1988. Barb enjoyed entertaining for the Airshow, travelling the Caribbean and RVing with Gord, Gert and Murphy all over the southern US and northern Mexico. Many thanks to the staff at Bevan for their wonderful care. A celebration of life is planned for Friday, September 26 from 3:00 - 7:00 pm at daughter Susan's home.