Streaming of Funeral Service
After watching the service online, if you can leave a guest message to let the family know you have joined into the service, that would be greatly appreciated.
This service will have a password applied once edited, you will then need to contact the family for the password to access.
Following the service, the footage will be posted and you can watch at a later time if you were unable to watch at the time of the service. Please note, footage will only be available for 1 year from the time of the service.
Tanya and Bob, a beautiful memorial for your mom. I loved listening to the story of her life. The memories of Sparrow Road are such a big part of my childhood yet your mom had so many more chapters in her life. When I think of her, I think of trips to the cottage in Bolsover and riding in the very back of her station wagon, facing out the back window. I remember the bird lady (we had another name for her!) and her wolf dog. I remember making up skits or songs to convince her to take us to McDonalds. I really can’t remember how often that actually worked! She always seemed younger than her years and I’m sure she will be very missed by you both. You created a beautiful memorial in her honor today.
Thank you so much Tanya and Bob for the wonderful memorial of
your Mom’s life story.
She was growing up so fast at the age of fourteen.
Work experiences and a lot of travels.
Throughout all this raising two children took a lot of courage , energy and love for life.
She lived a full life to the end and she did it her way!!
So happy she spent part of her life to the end of it with her beautiful daughter Tanya.
To Barbara, may God Bless you and may your soul rest in Heavenly peace
So happy you managed to stop at my house for a short visit before you went to Autralia and I was able to say goodbye .
Until we meet again dear friend .
My tribute of my long friendship with Barbara somehow was not read at the Magnolia room this afternoon. My name was mentioned but my story not told . Somehow a mishap. Here is my story.
Jo Baumann
Toronto, Canada
I first met Barbara, briefly, in 1964, just before I moved to Toronto, from Sydney Australia.
Our next meeting was late in 1973 in Toronto.
During that period, we had both married and had children, me 2 daughters and she, one son. My eldest daughter was 3 months older than Barbara’s son and they became buddies for a few years, before I moved to England with my family. Barbara also became Godmother to my youngest daughter.
Our lives were intermittent over the following years until mid 1990’s when we were both single again. Barbara returned Toronto and asked me where would be a nice place. At that time, my daughter, her Goddaughter was living in the Beach so I suggested that area, where she bought a house in the heart of the area where I spent many future weekends. This is the point where our friendship continued on a constant basis.
Barbara and I had many things in common, age being one of them and a middle name as well. She was 3 months younger than I. Gardening, cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting etc,. Barbara had a green thumb that defied logic. She could put a dead twig in water and a beautiful plant would emerge.
During our ‘70’s period we shared driving our children to the Montesorri School in Thornhill. We took Yoga classes. Became New Agey delving into Faith Healing, Astrologhy and let’s not forget the Seances, which were hysterical. Visiting Bryce’s Barn to find antiques to restore.
The 1990’s found us exploring our creative side through the arts, with watercolour and oils, taking art workshops and visiting Artists at their homes during the annual Studio Tours and art shows. Barbara was a very competent Artist and produced beautiful stained glass pieces.
We were avid readers. I introduced her to the wonderful Authour, Wilbur Smith. We read almost all of his books.
Oh, yes! The garage sales every spring at Hambly. Selling off our wares and totalling the profit at the end of an exhausting day. High finance at its best!! Barbara loved Garage Sales and she and her neighbour would go out on the weekends in search of treasures. Barbara couldn’t resist picking up someone’s discards from a curb, while driving past, if it appealed to her discerning eye.
Living in The Beach offered annual festivities. The Jazz Festival was a lot of fun. Also the Easter Parade.
Even with all of that in common we still had things that we vehemently disagreed on. Our friendship survived because we agreed to disagree which, in this day and age would be well encouraged.
Barbara moved back to Australia a couple of years ago where she settled in and loved being home, and continued enjoying her life to the fullest. Settling in, and making lots of new friends, which she was very good at.
We spoke often on facetime where she showed me her beautiful garden and home and the wonderful array of Aussie birds who joined her for her morning tea or coffee, plus her crocheted squares and new knitting machine!!
She was a kind and generous soul, fiercely independent and capable, a good sense of humour with no tolerance for pretense.
Barbara, I didn’t know when I spoke to you a few weeks ago that it would be our last conversation. I am heart stricken.
Thank you for our friendship and all of these treasured memories.
R.I.P dear friend.
Jo Baumann
It was so wonderful to be able to join in the Memorial service for my Dear friend Barbara today and to see her resting place back in Australia. So happy that she is resting in nature along with her two best friends. Knowing her green thumb that Maple will be outshine all the other trees in the cemetery. Thank you Bob and Tanya for sharing her incredible life journey with us. She would have been proud of the job you did. Rest in Peace my friend. Love you. Jo
I met Barbara in 2019, we had just moved into the retirement home. Two Barbaras from 2 different continents. We easily became friends and enjoyed long chats , lots of jokes and had a gardening bed we looked after together. We both moved out of the home the same year she returned to Australia and continued to keep in touch up until October 6th,25.
I felt it was a privilege to have met Barbara and felt a sisterly connection-strange. Her new address in Australia was RIX ROAD,
my grandfathers surname.
She certainly lived an interesting life- her way. Rest in Peace Queen Bee.
Thank you, Bob and Tanya, for making it possible for me to be present from afar at the Celebration of Life for your Mum. And what a beautiful celebration it was. Thank you for sharing your Mum’s amazing life story and for providing the many pictures of her life. It was a privilege to know your Mum during the short time our paths crossed at The Sumach. May her memory be a blessing.
An unusual send off Barbara,, very lovely & the choice of music was ‘just you’.
Miss you & tresure the memories -happy travelling, love, Jillx
My apologies for two posts. I posted one before the service and it disappeared into the ether during a glitch with Cloudflare so didn’t think it posted. X Deb
Debbie Zanetti [nee Osborne]
First Cousin to Barbara
I send my condolences, love and prayers to your family today as you celebrate your mum’s amazing life. I am sorry I was not able to be there, or to be able to travel down to Melbourne to visit before this, but I am so grateful to have shared in your memorial service today and to have heard the story of Barbara’s life. As my brother, Paul said, Barbara was an inspiration to us as kids with her travels and many postcards, and what we deemed, her exotic lifestyle. She gave us her dresses from her days in the nightclub, and we happily wore them as dress ups for years.
We lived with her Mum, my Aunty Mon, for 2 years in Pearl Beach before renting another house nearby, and then she lived with my Parents in Kulnura for many years. As Paul said, distance made it hard to see her often but we always kept in touch, and because of her mum, she was always part of our family.
Listening to her story, I was amazed that we both had the chance to visit Wewak and to paddle on the Sepik River [I also swam in it – among those puk puk [crocs] her hubby hunted]. I didn’t know until today, that we shared that experience!
Thank you for sharing Barbara’s life and memories with us today. Losing our mum’s this year is hard, but we can rejoice in lives well lived, and Mums well loved. And that we did our best to be there to the end. Blessings, love, hugs and prayers for you all, family and friends. Debbie XO
A beautiful day and a beautiful service for the Celebration of Life for Barbara who lived a wonderful life to the fullest.
Thank you for making it possible for people to see it online. My dad Is Robert Abrahams my Grandmother was Barbra An French. I would have went in person If I had the time. Thank you!
Hi Bob and Tanya,
Your mom was very special and courageous, she did share some of these wonderful stories with me. You both did amazing job telling your mom’s whole story and eulogy. I really enjoyed Barbara straight forward honesty, Barbara was truly an inspiration how to live your life to the fullest.
Thank you for showing the world what it looks like to live with courage, joy, and an open heart. Your spirit, strength, and love for life continue to inspire everyone who was lucky enough to know you.”
Farwell Barbara
First cousin to Barbara [in Townsville Qld]
My condolences to the family. I am sorry I was not able to be there during this sad time. My heart and prayers go out to you all. The loss of a mum is a pivotal time in our lives. I am with you online and praying for you.
Barbara was always my exotic older cousin who gave us these magnificent fancy ball gowns we’d play dressups in as kids. I still have photos of me in them. She was always travelling and her mum, my Aunty Mon, would go with her and bring us back amazing momentos that we cherished and I still have!
Her Mum was like my second Mum, as she lived with my parents for 25 years. She was always there – and Barb and Tom [Boy] in the background of our lives. We didn’t see each other much because of distance but we always kept in touch.
It is sad that I have not had the chance to go down to Melbourne to see you Tanya and your Mum, [caring for my own mum fulltime] but would have loved to do so. My heart and love go out to you today and in the weeks that follow. We will be in touch. X Debbie
I was fortunate to meet Barbara at her son Bob’s cottage on Sandy Island. We connected right away and became friends just prior to her relocation to her Australia home. She is missed !
Rest easy Barbara. See you when it’s my turn!
Kathleen Laverick, partner of Bob Abrahams, son of Barbara Ann French.
Barbara welcomed me as a family member, and I was lucky enough to be able to call her “Nana” as the rest of the family did. She once told me that she called me her “daughter-in-law” to her friends, which made me very proud. She always opened up her home to me without reservation. I felt that when she saw me, she was happy to see me and loved me, which was the best. I always admired her adventurous spirit, and willingness to make many places in this world her home. We were lucky enough to visit Nana at her last home in Australia, where I have memories of her that I will cherish always. I could sense how much she loved and adored Bob and Tanya and how she wanted them and her grandchildren to excel in this world. Now that she has crossed over to the next one, she will be sorely missed by me and everyone. Nana, it was wonderful knowing you and being part of your life in these final years, and I love you.
I remember Barbara mainly as the mother of Bob, a close friend and classmate in Canada going back to when we were both three years old. She was kind, friendly, and had a sharp sense of humour – and made me a lot of sandwiches! She hated Canadian winters. Who can blame her?
Like my mother, she lived through an era that was not always kind to women. But she fought back!
She left a distinct impression, and the world was a more interesting place with her in it. Farewell Barbara!