Obituary of Barbara Lois Swinton
BARBARA LOIS SWINTON (nee Drake)
May 17, 1932 – June 20, 2021
It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the death of Barbara Lois Swinton. Barbara will be remembered for her kind and generous spirit and the unconditional love she had for her family including her husband Rodger (St. Catharines), daughter Marilyn (Hamilton), sister-in-law Ellen (Alness, Scotland), cousins Barry and Jennifer (Birmingham, England) and cousins Peter and Joanne (Aurora).
Born the only child of Pearson and Alice Drake, Barbara received her education and business training in the schools of Brant county and the city of Brantford where she subsequently worked as the office manager and bookkeeper for James Reid Electric contractor. Barbara met Rodger through a church young people’s group and they were married in Brantford in 1959. Throughout their early married years, they lived in Delhi and Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan). Barbara sang in the church choirs where Rodger served as organist and was a charming hostess to many different church and social groups, particularly out west where there was a strong sense of community. They moved to St. Catharines in 1969, and soon after welcomed their daughter Marilyn to the family. Barbara worked in the front-of-house department at the Shaw Festival for 20 years where she found pleasure in helping others whether welcoming at the doors or ushering in the theater. She greatly enjoyed seeing the plays, remaining a proud ambassador of the Shaw after she retired and volunteering as a member of the Shaw Guild with Rodger for many years. Barbara enjoyed travelling and was delighted to meet cousins Barry and Jen in Birmingham, England later in her life. She loved animals and had many pets throughout her life. Seeing squirrels, bunnies, and birds out in the yard brought her joy in the later stages of her illness.
Barbara’s gentle, gracious nature was often noted by others. She was an easy person to love and will be deeply missed by her family and her close friends Judy and Mary. In honour of Barbara’s love of animals, donations to Ladybird Animal Sanctuary or the SPCA would be appreciated by the family.
We wish to thank Elizabeth, Karen, Erika, Theresa, JayR, Melody and all of the staff at Pioneer Elder Care for the compassionate care they provided to Barbara during her later years. As per Barbara’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a private committal service will be held at Mount Hope cemetery in Brantford.
