It is with great sadness that we share that Barbara died in Winnipeg on March 6, 2022, aged 68. She was surrounded by her husband and children.

 

She was, and is, dearly loved by her family, husband Jon Singleton, children Arwen (husband Taavo), and Bram, grandchildren Poe, Max, Evi and Teo, as well as numerous extended family members.

 

She was a person who lived to help others and to enjoy life with her loved ones.

 

Barbara had several passions. First and foremost was her family. She was always planning and thinking about what she could do to make their lives more exciting and fun. She and Jon enjoyed 48 years of making memories together with their family.

 

She was a passionate creative chef. She loved to prepare Mennonite heritage dishes and to discover new recipes.

 

She was a creative and skilled fibre artist. She inspired her children and grandchildren to pursue fine arts, and her home is filled with the art of three generations.

 

Another favourite activity was to travel with her family. This included travel across Canada, trips to Walt Disney World and, in 2019, taking the whole gang to Europe, visiting London, Paris, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Memories from these trips will be one of the happiest ways we will remember her!

 

She passionately loved the Winnipeg Folk Festival. She and Jon attended the first Folk Fest in 1974. They have been at every Folk Fest as have their children and grandchildren since they were born!

 

After volunteering for the Festival for many years, she worked for the Festival for several years as its Volunteer Manager. In this role she made an enormous impact that benefits the Festival to this day. She was a passionate advocate for the volunteer program, highlighting the essential role volunteers play in the success of the Festival and the experience of audience members.

 

For those wanting to donate in her memory, consider supporting the Festival.

 

A celebration of her life was held at 2:00 p.m. on May 28, 2022 at 603 Wellington Crescent. You can view the recording of the service here on this page. Barbara's family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by watching the photo-biography above. Please, also consider sharing your own photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.