Patricia "Trish" (née Slater) Barnsley passed away unexpectedly at the age of 76 on July 29, 2023, in Powell River’s Townsite.
An accomplished artist, Trish loved life, and what a life she lived. She was born on January 21, 1947, at the watch house in Catterline, Scotland. The Catterline watch house is a scene often painted by Scottish artists, so perhaps, in some way, this sparked Trish’s lifelong love of art. From there, she attended numerous schools throughout the UK, and prior to coming to Canada in 1969, she attended the Bath College of Education.
Upon arriving in Canada, her first stop was Toronto, where she worked at the Simpsons department store for a short period of time. But soon, she found herself called to the west of Canada and spent a number of years studying and teaching in Alberta.
We’ve also heard some rumours that she was once part of a travelling carnival in Alberta. There she met and married Barns. During their 12 years together, they travelled to many places on the infamous school bus, co-owned the Laughing Oyster Bookstore in Comox and welcomed their son Ben to the world on January 14, 1978.
Until Ben left for university, home was the Comox Lake House. During her time there, Trish co-owned a cafe, Small-A-Fare, and worked as a tutor. One of the things about Trish was that she knew how to make the most of things and how to find joy even when times were difficult. She also would be the first to tell you honestly what she thought.
In 2000, she met Ross Gregson, and for the next 16 years they made a life together between Comox and Powell River.
Powell River’s Townsite was a community that Trish truly loved. If you walked by Trish’s Maple Avenue home, you would have most likely found her tending to her gardens or perhaps having "sippy Saturday" with friends. Trish was also a strong advocate for the community and was extremely passionate about saving the butternut walnut trees she found through her walks through the old golf course.
Trish will be forever loved and sorely missed by her son Ben (Kirsten), grandchildren Chloe and Andrew, brother Phil
(Dorothy), Barns and all her other family and friends. We hope she’s up there cooking up something fabulous and having a martini (in a proper glass, of course) and debating life with those who passed before her - Ross, her brothers Jasper and Frank, and parents Frank and Mary.
A celebration of life will take place on Friday, October 6, in Powell River. More details to follow.
