BARBARA LILLIAN PAYMENT

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BARBARA LILLIAN PAYMENT

(nee TRUTHWAITE)

July 27, 1944 – January 30, 2024

Barbara Lillian Payment, age 79, passed away in her sleep on January 30, 2024. We have lost our precious and beloved mother, grandmother, and wife.

Barbara leaves behind her husband Henry, children, Darryl (Sophie), Glenn, Tara (Carlos), and Alanna (Kevin), and grandsons, Mateo and Luca. Also mourning her loss are siblings, Helen (Buddy), Bobby (Grace), Judy (Doug), and Irene. She was predeceased by her mother Florrence, father Henry, brother Tommy, and sister Gerry.

Mom was born in 1944 and grew up on the family farm in Hodgson, Manitoba. She developed a love of reading and academics early in life. Mom was highly intelligent, graduating early from high school at the age of 16. After obtaining a diploma from Manitoba Teachers’ College, she began her teaching career in Hodgson in 1963. She later taught for two years at Kirkfield Park School in Winnipeg before settling in Fisher Branch to start her family. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba in 1981. Mom spent 33 years teaching elementary school in Lakeshore School Division, retiring in the year 2000. She was a substitute teacher for the next 12 years at various schools in the area. She took her responsibility as an educator very seriously and her efforts extended far beyond the classroom, often preparing lessons until late at night.

Mom married her high school sweetheart, Henry Payment, in 1967. Four children followed and we were her proudest accomplishments. Mom’s family always came first. She was entirely devoted to her parents, her husband, and her children. She prepared nutritious lunches and suppers from scratch every day, and summers were spent harvesting, canning, and freezing vegetables and berries from our large garden. She adored Christmas and always made it so special for us. In 2014, Mom was elated to become a “Nana” to her grandson Mateo, and again in 2017 to her second grandson Luca. She doted on those little boys. Mateo and Luca loved playing and cuddling with their Nana, and delighted in hearing her read stories with her expressive yet soothing voice.

Mom cared deeply for animals and nature, and amassed a wealth of knowledge about songbirds, wildlife, flowers, and trees. She fed the birds every day and created a backyard haven for them. She had such respect for every living thing; if she found a dead bird or animal outside, she would weep for that little soul. She was a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation, and fostered compassion for animals in her children and students. Mom was a loyal monthly contributor to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Winnipeg Humane Society and numerous other charities. Her pet cats and dogs were always treated like members of the family, and she would say “they’re babies too after all”.

Mom’s flowerbeds were nothing short of incredible. The array of colour and meticulous arrangement of her perennials were the product of her tireless work and brought her great pleasure. She was a voracious reader and loved music and dance. Her face would light up when she heard a song she liked, and she could not stop herself from dancing or tapping her toes. Music was a source of comfort in her final years.

Mom also loved to travel. She had a special affinity for Ireland, visiting there twice. She also travelled with family to England, Scotland, Wales, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary, Peru, Australia, Hawaii, Alaska and other U.S. states, and across Canada.

Always selfless with her time and efforts, Mom poured her whole self into every project she undertook. In later years, she devoted countless hours working and volunteering for the Immaculate Conception Parish in Fisher Branch and its music ministry, choosing hymns and singing in the church choir. She fully converted to Catholicism in 2004. Mom always felt close to God and her faith guided her throughout her life.

Mom was a loving, kind, and sweet soul. We have lost the pillar and centre of our family. Our profound grief and enormous sense of loss are signs of her lingering love. Despite Mom’s illness the past few years, her love for her family and pets always shone through. Thank you to the Fisher Branch Personal Care Home, where Mom resided in her final five months.

The Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Fisher Branch Immaculate Conception Church, with Father Michael Raj Savarimuthu officiating. Fisher Funeral Home in care of arrangements. Memorial donations, if desired, can be made to the Nature Conservancy of Canada or the Winnipeg Humane Society.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 10, 2024, Feb 10, 2024