She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
So might Lord Byron have written of Barbara Chase. She was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, daughter and only child of Frederick and Gertrude Chase. She grew up in Topsfield, a small village north of Boston. Barbara was not only beautiful: she was also clever. She did a BA and an MA at Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Medieval Literature at the University of Ottawa. It was there that she met her husband of 43 years, Terrence (Terry) Keough. She taught English and American Literature and History of Art throughout her career at Heritage College in Hull (Gatineau), Quebec, where she was hugely popular with her students, teaching colleagues, and other personnel. To know her was to love her. By choice, she had no children. Barbara died of cancer in Victoria, which had been her home since she retired in 1993. She is survived by her husband and various relatives in Massachusetts and here in BC. Respecting her request, there will be no service. Interment will be in Royal Oak Burial Park, where she will await a continuation of the companionship of her husband. Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com.
32 Responses
Hello Terry,
I am sad to hear that Barbara has died. My cohort have (has?) wonderful memories of you both, and of all the other great teachers at CEGEP de Hull, pav anglais. And April Fools 1977, what a day! Barbara was an inspiring teacher and person, what better legacy can one wish for.
Fun conversation with Barbara’s sorority daughter Diane Hubbard Flanders today about BU memories. I am as Barbara’s sorority grandmother
If you’re ever on the East coast, Terry, we’ll go visit Diane and share more fun memories…
So sorry to hear about Barbara ❤️We’ll keep her in our
dreams! Comfort and prayers from jewel bland blake m, Mashpee, MA
So sorry to hear the passing of Barbara.I have fond memory of her and her great sense of humour.The students loved and respected her.She would light up a room with her bright comments and unique way of communicating her thoughts. Always enjoyed talking to her.
My sincere condoleance to you Terry .
Nicole Bordeleau
Barbara was such a kind woman. She helped me very much when I first started at Heritage College. She had vision, charm and wit. My condolences to Terry and family.
Dear Terry. I was deeply saddened to read of the passing away of our dear Barbara. You know how much I appreciated the two of you. We did share a lot during our working years together and even outside the work environment. I fondly remember my visit to you in Victoria. It was such a pleasure to spend time with both of you. Barbara will be remembered by so many students and members of the personnel. She touched their mind and their soul. I want to express my deepest condolences to you and to Barbara’s family. Do take good care of yourself and stay safe. My best regards Terry.
Claude Chénier
I can still picture her sitting front and center with both hands wrapped around a large mug of warm tea in her “ready position”. She had this look on her face……..I always wondered what she was thinking. I think it was something like, lets see what I can do with these young minds today! We always had such great conversations and participation from everyone. Such a master of the craft!
My deepest condolences to Terry and family.
Namaste, T.
My deepest sympathies to you, Terry. I remember her fondly despite having only been at the College four years before she retired. May you find comfort in knowing she also touched a young woman in Student Services who admired how she held herself and for how well she treated others.
I have been at a loss for words since Barbara’s passing. It has only been about ten years since we first connected, despite the fact that my mother, Katherine, and Barbara were first cousins. They grew up not far from each other, but were separated just enough by age to have missed each other on their respective paths.
I met Barbara as a result of a genealogical puzzle. Our common ancestor was a fellow named Charles W. Fitzgerald, whose origins I could never pin down. Having exhausted all the written records, I tried to approach the problem through DNA, by triangulating the results of tests from my mother, her cousin Mimi, and Barbara. But I didn’t know where Barbara was living. After much Google sleuthing, I found Terry’s book My Green Age online, which led me to Victoria, which led me to a phone number. It is a little hard to imagine now, but in the heat of my genealogical zeal, I ‘cold called’ Barbara to ask her for a DNA sample, hoping that she might have some recollection of a relative named John Grimes. What is even more remarkable, in retrospect, is that I somehow made it past Terry’s call screening (mine must have seemed like a prank call at first), and that Barbara graciously agreed to take part in my research.
Years have elapsed since then, and alas, there have been no genealogical breakthroughs concerning the mystery ancestor (yet). But the immensely greater discovery was Barbara and Terry. Nataley and I have since enjoyed many wonderful visits, exchanges of emails, and phone calls. Two summers ago, my mother – who lives outside Boston – accompanied us on a visit to Victoria. The cousins had not laid eyes on each other since the funeral of my mother’s brother in the late 1950s. It was a lovely reunion, which we all hoped would be the first of more visits.
It is too hard now to think of Barbara in the past tense, or to accept that having so recently found her that we have lost her again. We are immensely grateful to have had the time with her that we did. She was a truly remarkable person, and her absence will profoundly affect us. For me, and for my mother, and for Nataley, finding Barbara was the discovery of a treasure. But as it turns out, now and then in life, finding one treasure leads to another, and so Barbara gave us Terry. As Tennyson wrote, “Though much is taken, much abides.” Thank you, Barbara, and Godspeed.
I am so sad to hear of Barbara’s sudden passing. She was a person of great intelligence, charm and integrity. She cared deeply for her colleagues and friends and students. All of us were inspired and guided by her. She loved to laugh and brought a lot of joy to all those fortunate to know and work with her.
I took Barbara’s History of Art class at Cegep in Hull back in the late 70s and I’ve never forgotten her. I’m very sorry to hear of her passing but am happy that I was fortunate enough to spend that one short year in her presence.
My condolences to Terry, and to Barbara’s family.