BARRY SMUTYLO

Loving Husband, 

Great Friend, 

Accomplished Photographer, 

Bon Vivant. 

Too soon, on March 15, 2025, Barry Smutylo slipped away after brief resistance to an ambush by cancer.

He leaves to remember him fondly his beloved wife Patsy, his brother Ken and sister Dale, his niece Carolyn (Paul) and their three children, Patsy’s sister Lisa (and family), her brother Tim, her aunt Helen, and many treasured friends. Barry was predeceased by his father Ben in 2010, mother Anne in 2014, and brother-in-law Ross in 2015.

Barry was the youngest in his family, and allegedly a bit of a prankster as a youngster. He started his education at Victory School where he was selected for the “major work” stream, then moved on to Edmund Partridge School where he played clarinet in the band. From there he went to West Kildonan Collegiate where his interest in photography took off.

By the time he was in Grade 9 he had built a dark room in his parents’ basement where he and his camera buddies regularly hung out together. Barry often fondly reminisced about the wonderful garden-fresh tomato sandwiches his mother always prepared for them.

The basement darkroom was an early indication of Barry’s resourceful do-it-yourself talents, which he learned from his father. Together they did countless projects together at the family’s North End home, often with the help of Barry’s grandfather who, not-by-coincidence, lived right next door. Barry was very close to his family and remained devoted to his parents throughout his life.

So naturally, when Barry bought his first home, a stately riverside property in Wolesley, his Dad pitched in to help him fix it up and enhance it and Barry carried that on for over 45 years. Barry and Patsy loved to entertain and socialize with family and friends there. Whether it was a dinner party or just sitting on their deck overlooking the river, a view Barry cherished so much, everyone who visited always felt welcome! Barry had an amazing gift for being able to talk with anyone and share their interests. Perhaps that was because he viewed life through a photographer’s lens – always looking for a good angle, the right light to bring out the best in everyone and every situation.

Professionally, Barry became one of Winnipeg’s premier photographers, shooting many political functions, prominent people and over 1,000 weddings. His cheerful personality, lighthearted demeanour and corny jokes always helped everyone feel comfortable and look their best at a photo shoot. He took great pride in his craft, often mentioning that almost all his wedding bookings came from referrals … and repeat customers. Through this work Barry built up an impressive portfolio of artistic portraits … and a hilarious repertoire of wedding-related anecdotes.

Barry also had a keen interest in European cars. Even before he had his driver’s licence, he bought an old MG, fixed it up with his grandfather’s help, and sold it for a profit. He continued to drive, wheel and deal in imported cars for the rest of his life – but only used cars of course, because he was allergic to paying full retail for anything. Barry had a keen eye for a bargain and enjoyed searching those out and negotiating for them; he was always determined to live up to Winnipeg’s reputation as a place where “We can get it wholesale.”

As a teenager Barry was an excellent tennis player and remained a fan of that sport throughout his life. But his main athletic interest was golf. He learned to play at West Kildonan Collegiate and was a regular at Kildonan Golf Course, just up the street from his parents’ home in Winnipeg’s North End. Later, he became a longtime active member of the St. James Assiniboine Golf Club, where his stocky build and massive drives earned him the well-deserved nickname “Gorilla Smutylo.”

Barry will be dearly missed by his family and many friends. He left us much too soon, but he crammed a lot of living into the time he was here. He was a sparkling original, a special person, who made everyone around him feel special and comfortable. May he be comfortable now too.

His family would like to think the wonderful staff of Health Sciences Unit DG4 for their compassionate care for Barry during his final days. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barry’s memory may be directed to CancerCare Manitoba.

Barry’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

​

ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

​