Obituary for
Barbara Jean Fear (Pritchard)
December 26, 1931- November 30, 2018
Pritchard-Fear; Barbara Jean – In her 87th year, God called Barbara home on November 30, 2018 where she passed peacefully at the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Devoted mother of Heather (Douglas) and his loving wife Janet, of Bath ON, beloved Great Grandmother of Victoria and Nicholas whom she cherished, she was pre-deceased by her parents, Robert and Gladys Pritchard (nee Flanagan) of Newmarket and her brother Jack, of Burlington. Interment will be a private family service in Queensville, ON. The family wishes to specifically thank Deacon John Morrison for his gentle and loving spiritual care. Memorial donations may be made by cheque or credit card in her memory to Doctors Without Border (MSF) and Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre. Online condolences at www.wartmanfuneralhomes.com
Highlights of a Great Life Lived
A history aficionado, Barbara was the proud granddaughter of Welshman Hugh Pritchard, a miller whose family came to Ontario as early settlers of Huron County, near Lucknow, where he built two mills circa 1845. She was a descendant of Quaker Ebenezer Doan, Master Builder of the Sharon Temple of the Children of Peace in Sharon, ON. Her father Robert (Bob), a Master Freemason was an active and beloved resident of the Town of Newmarket from the early 1900’s and served 55 years with Office Specialty.
Barbara’s love of words and music began early and led her to a wonderful career in the Arts. She began as a columnist for the Newmarket Era (now the Era Banner) at which time she established the choral group The Norma Jackson singers who performed at Expo 67 in Canada’s Centennial year. Following two years as a resident of the West Island in Montreal and another two in Port Hope, she moved to the City of Mississauga where she was appointed Executive Director of the Mississauga Symphonic Association where she enjoyed a wonderful tenure making dear friends and fostering the development of Art Music in the growing community. While in Mississauga she wrote a weekly “Arts News” column in The Mississauga News and was the subject of several special articles appearing in The Mississauga Times.
Her career continued with an emphasis on marketing and fund-raising in the Arts as she became Arts Supervisor for the City, followed by a consulting position with the Ontario Federation of Symphony Orchestras (OFSO) for whom she wrote the 25 history of the Federation.
While in Hamilton, Barb was appointed Executive Director of The Bach-Elgar choir where she developed many special friendships particularly with conductor Donald Kendrick and his partner with whom she never lost touch.
Moving to Oro Station (near Barrie) her freelance writing continued with her regular and entertaining contributions to the Newmarket Historical Society, together with the special features she wrote as a Staff Writer for Huronia Sunday in Simcoe County. Her love of history and language greatly took over for several years when in 2002, with her move to Kingston, ON she produced her book “It’s About Time – Memories of a Small-Town Girl”, an entertaining and often humorous memoir of her youth from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. In recent years, Barbara volunteered with both Orchestra Kingston and the Kingston Symphonic Association and played piano to entertain seniors at the Helen Henderson Senior’s residence on a regular basis. As a member of The York Pioneers, her writings have appeared in The York Pioneer and Canada’s History Magazine.
Barbara loved to sail, golf (or ‘Flog’ as she liked to put it), cycle, walk and spend time with her family at barbeques and dinners with her great grand children Victoria and Nicholas, who adored her and her piano playing. She loved to attend the theatre and concerts, especially those in which her daughter Heather was performing. Barb was a long-time member of the Jubilate Singers in Kingston, a community choir for the “Young at heart”.
The family would like to thank her friends, the “GABB Girls”, Gesina, Alice and Bunny with whom she spent many an hour laughing, eating and enjoying the occasional glass of wine. Special thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff of the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital for their comforting care.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Barbara Jean
Fear Pritchard 1931 2018..
Death notice for the town of: Kingston, Province: Ontario