Barbara Edwina Catherine Booth

We only met Barbara after she joined the Eastern Star in Vermont. She used to visit St. Lambert Chapter # 15 in Quebec with her husband Bob and another couple (I cannot remember their name.) Eventually, she joined Star in Quebec and we became friends. Often if we were travelling in the States we would stop and visit at their cottage in Alburg, Vermont. Sometimes we would stay overnight, other times there were other visitors and a it ended up as a party. Barbara was always prepared for visitors. Sometimes we travelled together to keep the cost of the trip down by sharing accommodation and vehicles. Barbara never slept very long at night. I don't know how she managed to exist on the few hours of sleep she managed to get. If we were sharing a room then she would often be reading in the bathroom when she could not sleep. We used to try and get a suite so there was a bedroom and a living room with a pull-out couch so we could sleep without a light being on for Barbara. No matter where we were Barbara was prepared with a tablecloth for the motel or hotel table, wine glasses, plates, cutlery, candles, daisies and maybe a butterfly or two, hors d'oeuvres etc. She put us all to shame in the beginning until we got used to her preparations then we would do our share as well. When she was installed as WGM in Vermont, I remember Bob had to be in hospital I think it was a bypass operation. He said " We worked so hard to get to this point and now I cannot be there.". A big contingent of Quebec members were in attendance to see Barbara installed. We used to visit her Vermont Chapter in Alburg - Columbia Chapter. I think the Customs guards got to know us on a meeting night. Barbara and Bob sold their cottage in Alburg. I don't remember what year then they moved to Lacolle, on the road to the border. We used to pass their home as we went to stay at our motor home which was stationed at Goose Pointe for the summer. We often stopped to say hello or for a meal or just for a coffee and a chat. Sometimes it was a special occasion - a chapter BBQ a birthday or an anniversary. Always catered with Barbara's inimitable flair. She was always proud of her family but I only got to know some of them when they were adults. Her son Robert and Barbara took parts in a murder mystery Dinner I organized as a fund raiser for one of the chapters. After the death of her beloved husband, Barbara moved to Greenfield Park and eventually ended up at the Chartwell. We used to go and pick her up to go to meetings. Sometimes she attended my Church and that was special. I will miss Barbara. No matter how long it was between visits when we got together it was though we had never been apart.