Obituary of Barbara Brooke CHRISTIE (nee Baxter)

December 10, 1927 – Toronto, Ontario
August 30, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Barbara Brooke Christie, born in Toronto on December 10, 1927, died peacefully at home on August 30, 2020 at the age of 92. She is survived by her four children, Karen, Liam (Mary), David (Joan) and Tom (Jessica); five grandchildren, Jeff (Arianne) and Kaisa (Dan), Liam (Amanda) and Jess (William), and Isabelle (daughter of Rachel); and five great-grandchildren, Porter and Garrett, Brielle and Madeleine, and Max.  She was predeceased by her parents Jean and Thomas Baxter, her sister Phyllis Holt, and the father of her children, Bob Christie. 

Barbara grew up in Philadelphia, attended Bishop Strachan School in Toronto, and Hood College in Maryland. She and Bob left Toronto in the spring of 1950 to drive across Canada to Calgary where she spent the rest of her life except in the 70s when she returned to Toronto for a few years. Barbara will be remembered by many for her joyful and loving approach to life. The family home was a vibrant centre of yummy home-cooked meals, enthusiastic singing, and heartfelt caring. She sang alto in the Christ Church Choir, and was an active volunteer with the Junior League.  As well, she loved amateur theatre, playing roles in the musical The Pajama Game, and The Wizard of Oz. In addition to being a home-maker, Barbara later applied her secretarial skills in the oil patch in downtown Calgary.  In the early 80s she created Barbara Christie Needle Arts to share her passion for the colourful beauty of those crafts. Barbara kept her fun sense of humour well into the aging process, losing 80% of her vision over the past decade. Despite this and the slow onset of dementia, she knew her family and friends up until the end.  She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. Many thanks to the wonderful staff at Staywell Manor in Garrison Woods.  She was very grateful for their care, and they affectionally called her Barbie, which she loved.

A virtual gathering to celebrate Barbara's life will take place on Friday, October 23 at 2:00 p.m. MDT.  Please contact Amanda at tarling@shaw.ca for the Zoom link. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Barbara’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com where details will be available for a virtual gathering to celebrate her long and eventful life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Kids Cancer Care www.kidscancercare.ab.ca.

In living memory of Barbara Christie, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.