May 12, 1923 - December 8, 2015
On December 8, 2015, at the age of 92, Barbara Arczynski, a beloved and admired mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away at Christenson Village, Gibsons, B.C., after a short illness. Barbara made many friends on the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere who remember her graciousness, hospitality, kindness to others and love of laughter.
Barbara was born on May 12, 1923, in Rugby, England, to Elizabeth and Arthur Haddon. She had four older half brothers - Reg, Cecil, Bob (Horace) and Walter and a younger sister, Joyce. During her school years she showed athleticism, was remarkably good at 'games' and particularly enjoyed playing field hockey. She also loved to read and continued to do so for her entire life.
During WW2 she was initially a 'land girl' on her brother Reg's farm near Rugby and subsequently joined the RAF to become a radar operator posted to various remote villages on the coast of England and Ireland. As a radar operator she was responsible for guiding bombers in their missions over Germany and also in coastal defense.
Barbara met her husband to be, George, at English Electric, an engineering firm where he was an engineer and she a secretary. They married and shortly thereafter immigrated to Canada. After three years in Ontario, they moved to the West Coast where as avid outdoor enthusiasts they found huge opportunities for pursuing this passion.
Several years later they followed friends to Australia where summers were spent near the beach and winters skiing in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
In 1967 they moved back to West Vancouver where they lived until George's accidental death in 1981. During their years together they led adventurous outdoor lives with canoeing excursions in Desolation Sound, the Bowron Lakes and the Turner Lake chain. They also belonged to the Natural History Society and various ski clubs in Whistler Mountain. Shortly after George's death, Barbara moved to the Sunshine Coast and continued to enjoy hiking, kayaking and cross country skiing.
Even though Barbara led a rich and adventurous life, as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, her main focus was her devotion to her God. She maintained a faithful course from her baptism in 1956 onward, spending countless hours in preaching a message of good news and helping many people to a better understanding of the Bible.
She was predeceased by her husband George in 1981, and her son Michael in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Barbara is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Carol and son-in-law, Mike, her grandchildren, Erin (Olivier), Robert (Jade) and Thomas; also her granddaughters Jessica (Nick), Sophia, and Patricia (Kurt); her daughter-in-law, Lori (John) and grandchildren Sydney, Max, Emma and Michael; also great-granddaughters, Olivia, Daisy and Penny.
Our thanks go to Dr. Carla Paetkau, the staff at Christenson Village and the nurses at Sechelt Hospital who conscientiously and lovingly cared for her. Of particular mention is our gratitude to granddaughter Erin Mearns Chong, RN, for her unfailing support and care.
A memorial service will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 805 North Road in Gibsons on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 2:30 pm.