NOREEN BARFOOT OBITUARY
Alice Noreen Barfoot (Hopkins) passed away peacefully at Grand River Hospital on Wednesday, October 12, 2022. She is survived by her loving husband of 71 years, Melville and children, Oren and Coralee Barfoot and Bob and Kendra Kallonen. Predeceased by her daughter Janice and son-in-law André Lajeunesse. Loved grandmother to Spencer, Cynthia, Kolten (Samantha), Melville (Rebecca), Nathan (Jennie), Katrina, Joshua (Desireé), Travis, Alison (Jake). Great-Grandmother to Ash, Hayden, Lyra, Isa, Aiden, Caris, Mari, Evelyn, Silver, Madelyn, Arwyn, Olivia, Cataleya, Grayson, and Remi. She is further survived by her sister Isabelle and sister-in-law Deanna.
Born on February 9, 1931 in Bentick Township, Ontario, Noreen was the fifth of eight children and youngest daughter to farmers Spencer and Margaret Hopkins. Until the end, she had vibrant recollections of her time living on the farm while attending the one-room schoolhouse around the corner.
When the factories across Ontario started recruiting young farm workers, she (along with many others from her community) moved to Hespeler to work in a textile mill where she continued to be employed until 1962. In 1951 she married Mel Barfoot on her parents’ farm before they began their life together in Hespeler.
A considerable part of Noreen’s personality was her hard-working attitude toward life. This was only emphasized when she and Mel purchased a piece of property on the old Thomas Farm (now Thomas St) and built their first house paycheck-to-paycheck, purchasing materials as they could afford them.
In 1952 their first child, Oren was born followed by Janice in 1956 and Kendra in 1962. Noreen stopped working at the mill after her children were born and dedicated her time instead to her own family and caring for children in their community, including Lorne O’Neill who had a uniquely close relationship with the Barfoots.
Although she grew up attending the small local church across from the farm, it wasn’t until she was in her early 30s that she accepted Christ into her heart and was baptized at Hespeler Baptist Church. Her faith became a very important compass for her life and she used it as a guide to raise her family. She spent much of her time volunteering at church, especially in children’s ministries where she taught Sunday school, vacation bible school, and Pioneer Girls.
They built a second, larger home in 1967 where they lived and raised their family for nearly 30 years. Their final house was built in 1996, assisting in the creation of a multi-generational, family-centered lifestyle by building beside one of their children and across the street from another and their own respective families.
They moved into one of the retirement wings in Saint Luke’s Place in the mid-2000’s where Noreen spent much of her time with friends and volunteering both at church and the Senior Living Facility, handing out hotdogs and hamburgers at every Friday Barbecue well into the late-2010s.
Earlier this year, Noreen and Mel moved into Highview Residence in Kitchener where she was able to live independently while they cared for her dementia.
Noreen will always be known for her grit, determination, and hardworking spirit. She was a constant in the lives of those around her, picking them up, dusting them off, and giving them the motivation to keep going. All while working just as hard right alongside them.
Noreen’s life will be celebrated on Sunday, October 16 at the Kallonen home where the afternoon will be spent remembering the blessing of such a strong, guiding force in the Barfoot family.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Noreen Barfoot Wednesday October 12th 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Cambridge, Province: Ontario