Obituary of Barbara Nixon

Barbara was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Oct 3, 1933. She was the oldest living child of Winnifred (née Fultz) and Jack King. Barbara's family lived in Winnipeg until Jack became a Paymaster and Accountant for Tashota Mine in 1936. The King family moved to Northern mining country and Barbara was raised with her brother Dennis, at Tashota, Siscoe and Golden Manitou mines. Barbara graduated from Percival County High School in Val d'Or, Quebec in 1951 and applied to attend university in Montreal. As a resident of the Royal Victoria Ladies College at McGill she studied Chemistry and Mathematics but filled her schedule with as many Literature courses as the Science Faculty would allow. Barbara met her second husband Roy Nixon after moving to Alberta with her daughter Diane. Barbara and Roy worked together at Celanese (Chemcell) in Edmonton in an Acetate Fibre lab. Barbara graduated in 1966 from The University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education. She taught in several Edmonton public schools until after marrying Roy in 1967. They welcomed Tom into the family in 1969 and Elaine in 1970. The Nixon's moved to Ottawa in 1971 when Roy joined the Federal Department of the Environment and returned to Alberta in 1973. Barbara worked as a Lay Hospital Chaplain for the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton in the 80's. She trained hospital visitors and served as an Anglican Lay Chaplain in the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Barbara returned to university once more to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Language Arts/ Reading Assessment in the early 90's. She never worked in this role but encouraged all her children and grandchildren to be lifelong readers. Barbara pursued quilting and knitting, family history, and (of course) literature as her hobbies. Starting in 1992 she fulfilled a dream of attending performances at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. Barbara returned to Stratford every year (sometimes more than once) until 2014. Her children and grandchildren were privileged to travel with her to experience Shakespeare's great works. Barbara passed away after a yearlong bout with cancer on April 7, 2015. She has been cremated, as was her wish, and will be inurned alongside her mother and husband. Barbara is survived by her brother Dennis (Louise) King and family; sister in law Marian (Ron) Gregory and family; children - Diane (Andy) Hobelaid, Tom Nixon (Christy Campbell), and Elaine Nixon (Murray Farness); grandchildren - Ruth Sekuloff, Damien (Jessica) Webb, Ben Sekuloff, and Campbell Nixon. She was predeceased by her older sister Joanne; parents Jack and Winnifred; husband Roy. A Funeral Service was held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 11, 2015 from St. Andrew's Anglican Church with Rev. Jacques Vaillancourt officiating. At Barbara's request please consider donations to: MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES / DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS #13527 5857 RR0001 720 Spadina Ave, Suite 402, Toronto, ONT, M5S 2T9 (www.msf.ca) Or a charity of your choosing in lieu of flowers.