Barbara I. White

Obituary for Barbara I. White

Barbara (Greer) White, born in Sault Ste. Marie, ON in the early '40s has, after a long dance with COPD, quickly and painlessly passed away while in Royal Columbian hospital. Barb is survived by her daughter, Adrienne, her brother, Bill (Beth), her niece and nephew, Kelly and Billy, cousins (Norm, Tom, Greg), and a great niece, Sheyhlyn. Her beloved long-term partner, Dave Caufield, predeceased her by 13 years.  His son, Bernie Caufield, and her dear friends, all held a very special place in her enormous heart. Daughter of the late William (Bill) Greer Sr. and Dorothy Greer, their spirits have been reunited.

Barb was like a second mother to so many people. She would just scoop people up in her gentle, fun, friendly energy and treat them to a moment or more of focused, thoughtful, genuine attention.  She cared -- even if she was talking to a stranger.

Barb was also a skilled poet. In an interview following the release of her book of poetry (Ballads by Barb), she described writing poetry as her 'easy way of talking'.

A tomboy at heart, with an absolute reverence for nature, Barb loved life and animals. She was smart, fun, quick to laugh and intuitively compassionate. She looked for the good in people and almost always, that's what she found. (Barb’s wisdom here is an invitation to look for what you want to see, not for what you don’t.)

Ontario held her most cherished and loved places. She loved the shores along the Great Lakes, the trails through the bush, and the incredible fall colours of home. That said, she marveled at the “winters” in Vancouver and reveled in the flowers.

Barb spent the last decade living with her daughter near Vancouver, BC. She became the building welcome wagon as she sat outside smoking, getting to know people moving into the building; wishing people well who were moving out. Barb enjoyed the many delightful neighbours, and also their pets! They were all an important part of her day to day, and some became a treasured part of her heart.

With an infectious smile, a sparkle in her eyes, and a willingness to laugh easily, she was a delight to spend time with. Sweet as she was, she was the first to laugh at an spicy joke and occasionally shocked people with well-placed expletives. Barb was well-rounded, down to earth, funny, and loved to talk with people. She was also tough as nails.

She was the first to warn people off smoking – and was genuinely surprised that it decimated her health. She liked to make an impact, and as she sat on the bench in front of her building near Vancouver (yes, smoking), she would talk to young men who thought vaping was the answer. She shared what she learned on the news -- that vaping is said to cause testicular cancer. She appreciated watching the look on their face when those words landed.  She didn’t know if it made a difference in how they took care of their bodies, but she hoped. And yes, in 2019, Barb quit smoking.

Sometimes strangers who needed genuine connection, acceptance or compassion would find their way to her on the bench to chat. After a long conversation, one such young man got up to leave, turned around and said, ‘May I give you a hug?’ She engendered and embodied that kind of sweetness. (Barb’s wisdom here is, authentic connection is essential and invaluable – take time for people.)

From her Queensborough home, she was a frequent flier from a first responder perspective. We remain so grateful for the amazingly strong, kind and compassionate firefighters who always showed up before (and sometimes in lieu) of paramedics. As her cherished brother is a retired firefighter, she was especially grateful for their professionalism, care and kindness. Of course, we also hold immense gratitude for the paramedics who ushered Barb to the hospital on more than a few occasions. Even while in the ER with difficulty breathing, doctors would ask how she was, and she’d give them a big smile and say ‘Great thanks’ – the doctors learned that it was her way of saying ‘I’m grateful to alive and I’m happy to see you.’

Her medical team, Safeway Pharmacy, the wound care nurses, and daily support from personal care and respite workers from Fraser Health became a regular part of the weekly routine. They were a godsend and they, plus the Red Cross loan program, enabled Barb to stay at home until her last trip to the hospital. All the people at Richmond Hospital and Royal Columbian were so helpful and are deeply appreciated. To everyone involved in her care -- we can’t thank you all enough.

The planet lost a most amazing woman. That said, anytime you notice something astounding, beautiful or magical in nature, chances are, she’ll be there with you, marveling at what life offers us freely each day.

Dearest Barb, you are so deeply missed.

Her wish for you would be that you have more moments in your life to appreciate the blessings around you and to remember that your smile and your presence can make an enormous difference.

#hearttoheart, #GratefulForYou, #RedCrossBC, #HealthEquipmentLoans, #ABAwards, #BC_EHS, #NewWestFirefighters, #BCPFFA, #SincerelySafeway

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