Helen Marjorie McIntosh
A lifetime resident of the Dunbar area, Helen Marjorie McIntosh passed away at the Winchester District Memorial Hospital on Saturday, December 10, 2005. She was 81.
Helen was born into the Barkley family at home in Elma on November 26, 1924. She was the second child and eldest daughter of Stanley and Blanche (nee Froats) Barkley. Her parents belonged to the United Church in Elma, where Helen was baptized and later confirmed. Stanley and Blanche raised Helen on the family farm together with her older brother, the late Emerson Barkley, her younger sister Vaughn, and late brother Dalton.
Helen completed public school in Elma, and then went straight to work on the farm. Helen was a hard-worker, not only did she help with the chores at home, but she also helped bring in wood and sap from the bush. In her spare time, she worked as a waitress in a little restaurant in Williamsburg and she also did housekeeping for people when they needed extra assistance. It was at the restaurant in Williamsburg that she met Douglas McIntosh, a farmer from Winchester Springs, whom she married on October 26, 1944. After the wedding, the two continued farming together in Dunbar where Helen resided until she passed.
Helen was a very active woman and in addition to working on the farm she picked apples in season, did housecleaning for people, put in a huge garden, did canning and preserving, made pies and jams, and made quilts for her family.
In November of 1957, Helen and Doug joined St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Dunbar and since then she has been an active member. Helen always made certain that both she and the children faithfully attended worship and Sunday school, which her daughters Marie and Betty taught for a while. She will be sadly missed by her Lutheran family because she was a tireless worker not only at home for her family, but for her church, and her community, as well. She was a woman whose deep inner strength and physical endurance was matched only by her spiritual stamina.
Helen knew how to have fun. She was full of fun ­ young at heart ­ a real joy to be around. When she was 60 years old she was still climbing around on the monkey bars. She was determined to live life to the fullest, and always according to her own set of standards and values. But, for all her fun-loving joy of living, she was always ready when help was needed.
During one of the most difficult periods of her life, she cared for her husband Doug, whose farming days came to an end when he developed Alzheimer's disease. For many years she looked after Doug at home, with the help of her children and church family, and many friends and neighbors. Following Doug's death in 1997, Helen remained at home on the farm in Dunbar and continued to be an active member of her Church and community in addition to being a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
In addition to her home and church activities, Helen was also an active member of the Dundas Rebekah Lodge # 387 for over 42 years, where she served as chaplain.
Helen is survived by her children Marie (Adrian) Barkley-Vingerhoeds of R.R.# 2 Chesterville, Betty McIntosh of Orleans, and Allan (Connie) McIntosh of Ottawa, her sister Vaughn (Reg) Burd of Berwick, her grandchildren Naomi, Mark, Julie, Mike, Pam, Jeff, Kristie, and great-grandchildren Nathan, Rheann, Kyle, Madeline, Jessica, Dredann, Britney, Spencer, and Simon. She was predeceased by her parents Stanley and Blanche (nee Froats) Barkley and brothers Emerson and Dalton. She is also survived by nieces and nephews.
Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home in Williamsburg, on Tuesday, December 12 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm. A Rebekah Lodge service was held on Tuesday evening at 8:45 pm. The funeral service was held at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Dunbar, on Wednesday, December 14 at 11 am. Interment followed at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Chesterville.
Pallbearers were Allan McIntosh, Jeff Armstrong, Mike Barkley, Mark Barkley, Steven Burd, and Blake Henderson. Honorary pallbearers were Reg Burd and Bert Geertsma.
Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or Winchester District Memorial Hospital would be appreciated by the family.