Passed away Tuesday, March 10, surrounded by loved ones. Barb was pre-deceased by her parents, Gordon and Dorothy (Kells) McIntosh, her sister, Marnie (Troughton) and brothers Dick and Fraser, husbands, William Bennalick (1964) and Arthur Currie (2011), and her adopted daughter, Clara Gaudet.

She leaves behind daughter, Suzanne Kresta (ex-husband and friend Jim, grandchildren Rebecca and Jessica) and sons, David (wife Ardys, grandchildren Sophie and Wyatt) and Michael (wife Dion and grandchildren Dain, Dax, Rose and Bronwyn), as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends. Her skilled and dedicated companion, “Mary Jane,” was with Mom throughout her last seven years and became an important part of our inner circle of laughter and love.

Mom grew up in Toronto and later Hamilton, acquiring an active curiosity and thirst for knowledge, an inner strength through the depression and war years, and ability to build relationships with just about anyone. Her deep love of nature grew over many summers spent at her family’s camp on Lake Temagami.

Educated at the Hamilton General Hospital, Barb was a Registered Nurse in Ontario before moving to Saskatchewan, London, England, New York City, Ottawa, and finally to PEI where she and Dad found their lifelong home. Mom worked for both the provincial and federal governments, helping to create and implement many important health care initiatives for Islanders. She finished her working life as a sessional lecturer at UPEI, teaching Soc100 to over 4000 students. Seeing them learn and grow was her favorite and most fulfilling job.

She made many lifelong friends and thoroughly enjoyed her many years volunteering with the Girl Guides of Canada (a 50 year member, visiting both Our Cabana and Our Chalet), the P.E.I. Women’s Institute (lifetime member and past director), the PEI and Canadian Advisory Councils for the Status of Women (led work on the Family Law Reform Act during her time as the 3rd chair of the PEI Council, and chaired the founding board of Anderson House) and Island Nature Trust, as well as various churches throughout the island. Whether it was a rural roadside clean-up, fundraising efforts, bird counts, or mentoring and lifting people up, Mom’s mantra was always, “Leave it better than you found it.”

She loved to travel and in her 89 years she reached most of North America and much of Europe, always happily dreaming about and planning her next travel adventure. She spent countless hours watching the birds, writing in a daily journal (which she did from a very young age), and tending to her flower and vegetable gardens (and fiercely defending both from our dad’s errant lawn mowing). 

Some of her happiest times were spent in the company of her friends and family in Charlottetown and in retirement on the Argyle Shore, sitting around the kitchen table chatting, vigorously debating issues of the day, and laughing delightedly at Art’s antics. 

Heartfelt thanks to community and extended care teams at The Mount for the care and affection they shared generously with Mom in her last years. We are humbled to have seen our mom surrounded by love up to the very end. While we miss her dearly, we hope that her precious memories are fully restored on the other side, where so many of her beloved friends and family are waiting to catch up on the latest news!

For those who wish to place a memorial, please consider supporting any of the causes Mom found so compelling - or even better - take up the torch of building community on this beautiful Island she loved so very much.

A memorial service will be held later this year. Details to follow.

Love you Mom.