Barbara Louise MacPherson

She was the eldest of three siblings (Ernest Keith and Kaylene). Graduating from New Glasgow High School, she then attended Victoria General Hospital School for Nursing, known as “Buzz” for her chatty nature, and graduated in 1955. During her career she nursed at the Victoria General Hospital Halifax and in Akron, Ohio for a term. She and her classmates kept in touch for the rest of their lives.

Barbara married Allister Ralph MacPherson in June 1957 and had three daughters. They moved around in the early years but settled in Woodlawn Heights, Dartmouth in the spring of 1963, where Barbara would live there happily for the rest of her life. A neighbour helped her learn to drive in her 30’s and she enjoyed a new freedom. She was the neighbourhood Mom through the 60s and 70s. Mrs. Mac, as she was known, welcomed all into her home. During these years she belonged to the Dartmouth Curling Club and bowled at Beazley’s Bowling Lanes. Barbara was also an original member of "the Bridge Club;" founded in 1966. The women played regularly up to the pandemic in 2020.

Barbara was adventurous and enjoyed traveling. When her girls were young, the family camped around the Maritimes (Keji, Cape Breton, PEI), Quebec and Ontario . Once she and Al bought the cottage in Halfway Cove in 1971, the family started spending their summers there. She was a great road trip companion and navigator; doing many trips to Maine with her daughters and across Canada with her daughters and granddaughters. She also traveled to Bermuda with Al (filming an Anne Murray special), to Florida with the Bridge Club, and to Ireland and Scotland on a rugby trip with her granddaughters.

In her later years she was the neighbourhood grandmother and became part of the local rugby community, affectionately known as Gram or Grammie. She became a fixture at her granddaughters’ rugby games, from high school, to SMU (traveling on the team bus for away games), provincial and club. For games, she dyed her white hair in team colours and coordinated the colour of her cane. Many players became her friends and visited Gram outside of rugby fixtures. Barbara also spent a lot of time at her daughter’s farm in Oliver over the last 14 years, and helped annually with hay season.

Barbara was a renowned cook and baker; she made impressive cakes for various occasions for family and friends. She was a creative crafter and accomplished seamstress, making decorations, clothing and Halloween costumes for multiple family generations. She was a vivid storyteller with a sharp memory and a fun sense of humour. She loved animals, especially dogs. She enjoyed music and singing. As a child, she played the violin and later in life supported her grandchildren to participate in music programs.

She loved and was loved by all. After a full life, Barbara passed away in Dartmouth General Hospital surrounded by loved ones on October 22, 2022 at the age of 89. The last surviving member of her immediate family, she was also predeceased by her husband Allister (2001) and her favourite dog MacGregor. She leaves behind her three daughters Stephanie (John) Wiles, Louise MacDonald, and Sandra (Jerry Butler), four grandchildren Ashleigh and Justis Wiles, Adrienne (Mark Sweeney) and Barbara (Daniel Williams) MacDonald, step grandchildren Jeremy and Kasha Butler, and four great grandchildren Julian, Achilles, Charlotte and Allister, nieces and nephews, brother-in-law Don MacLean and sister-in-law Diane Hill, her cat friend Wall-E and her miniature donkey Dudley.

A Celebration of Life will be held on November 3, 2022 at A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home (217 Portland Street, Dartmouth). The doors will open at 3:30, with a ceremony beginning shortly after 4:00pm. A reception to share memories will begin around 5:00pm. Please come when you can to be with family and friends in celebration of Barbara's life (or Mom, or Gram or Barb!).