It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Donald Barron on March 26, 2024 in Sidney, BC from complications of Lewy Body Disease. He leaves to mourn his wife of 60 years, Marilyn; his son David, wife Shelly and grandchildren Angela (Ryan), Christopher (Angella), Kimberly (Wes) and great grandchild Jordan; his daughter Maureen, husband Paul and grandchildren Scott, Shelby, Ashley and Ryan.
Don received a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Magna Cum Laude) from Utah State University in 1972 and was invested into the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects College of Fellows in 1992. Don was honoured with several awards and distinctions and volunteered much of his time to serve on many boards and advisory committees, most recently Mt. Newton Centre Society and Sidney Sister Cities. His time as President of the CSLA took him to many countries, he left a legacy of good friends around the globe.
Don lived in Edmonton AB until moving to Vancouver Island in the early 90’s. He enjoyed golfing, sailing with the “Prairie Buoys”, fly fishing and water colour painting. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and was never without a dozen red roses for Marilyn on their anniversary.
A Celebration of Life open house will be held at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney BC on July 27, 2024. Friends and family are welcome to drop in from 1:30 – 4:30. Light refreshments will be served. Please contact marilynbarron@shaw.ca to RSVP. Any photos, anecdotes or memories would be gratefully received.
Memories.
My mother, Linda Mowbray, and Don’s mother, Florence, were best friends when Don and I were small boys. I was the city boy (Edmonton), and Don and his sister, Peggy, were the country kids living on a farm outside of town.
When my Mom took me to visit, it was always a great adventure, mainly because Don would invent all sorts of things for us to do. One of my treasures from that time is a photo right out of the “Our Gang” comedies that Don sent me. It portrays a wagon with hoops covered by canvas with “Bar-20 Ranch” painted on the side. The “Bar-20” was Hopalong Cassidy’s outfit. Hoppy (portrayed by William Boyd) was our radio and movie hero. In the photo, Don and I, dressed in our cowboy garb, sit on a bench in front, and Peggy is peeking out from inside. We are hitched up to my Collie, “King.” (To be clear, he never did pull us!) This was Don’s creation. Only the “horse” was mine!
The other thing I remember is Don’s invention, which has always stuck in my mind (even at such a young age) because it was so original yet simple—a precursor of his mechanical and analytical ability in later life. It was a large board with metal pop bottle tabs turned over and nailed facing up so that you could scrape the mud from your shoes. Clever, huh?
Another memory I have is of a tall swing in the farm’s backyard that was extremely daunting because it took you so high before plunging you back toward the ground. Don was never afraid to go as high as he wanted. I also remember how kind Don’s Mom, Florence, was.
Another recollection was a vacation that the Barron family and the Mowbrays took up around Golden, B.C. I remember because Don’s Dad, Doug, had a Chrysler, and my Dad, Al, was a GM guy. (Back then, most people bought GM products or Ford’s, so it was a bit “out there” if your Dad had a Chrysler and purely odd if he had anything else like a Studebaker!) During the ride up there, following the Chrysler kicking up dust and stones on the gravel road, my family barely escaped death when a large truck attempted to pass on the two-lane road. Fortunately, a turn-off miraculously appeared, allowing us to save ourselves. Otherwise, we would have been plunged hundreds of feet into a canyon below.
In 1987, I took my Mom and Dad back to Canada (we had moved to Florida in 1957) on a grand tour. Fortunately, we were able to hook up with Florence and Don at my Uncle’s house in Edmonton. He was still the handsome, bright, engaging person I had remembered. (My Mom passed away a year later, so I was glad she and Florence could connect one last time.)
Over the years, Don and I did not keep in touch as often as we should, and it was only last year that I thought I should call him. Little did I know that he was in the grip of such a horrible disease. It saddens me.
In conclusion, he was my friend from the earliest time we were both on earth, and I will miss knowing he is no longer with us. As Hoppy always said at the end of the broadcast to the two small boys who listened to him on the radio, “Farewell, but not Goodbye,” my old friend.
Our condolences to his family and everyone who knew this fine man.
Sincerely,
Dan & Alta Mowbray