elevated 1BKOw November 13, 1947 – July 23, 2023 

elevated 1BKOw Visitation
Friday, July 28, 2023 from 4:00 – 8:00 pm
Funeral Home Chapel
6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T1N4 

elevated 1BKOw Funeral Service
Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 11:00 am
Funeral Home Chapel
6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T1N4 

elevated 1BKOw To view a livestream of the Funeral Service on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. please click here. 

Interment

Assumption Catholic Cemetery – Section 15 
6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T1N4 

elevated 1BKOw Obituary

elevated 1BKOw Joan (Finola) Barry (nee O’Connor), age 75, of Mississauga, passed away peacefully at Credit Valley Hospital, surrounded by family on July 23, 2023.  She endured a long illness while also caring for her husband John.  Finola was a loving mother to Colin (Danita), Sean Rory (Lindsay), Kevin (Aneta) and Tara, and grandmother to Eoin, Lauren, Preston, and Marseille. She is also missed by her brother Dermot O’Connor (Carol) and their children Diarmuid, Dearbháil and Siobhán, her first cousin Deidre and her daughter Niamh (Dave).

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Finola’s journey started in Ireland.  She was born on November 13, 1947 in Cork to Christopher and Siobhan.  At the early age of 18, Finola left home and moved to Rome for a year to be an au pair for a Count and Contessa.  After returning to Cork, Finola met a sailor named John Barry.

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elevated 1BKOw John and Finola built their home in the Cork countryside, not far from family and friends.  While John was often at sea for lengthy periods, Finola would preside over the chaos caused by four children and often a few pets.  For the entire summer, the family of six would move to Kerry to be closer to the sea. In spite of a wonderful life in Ireland, John and Finola became excited about raising their children in Canada.

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elevated 1BKOw In 1989, John and Finola packed up their home, and their four children, and immigrated to Canada.  After tearful goodbye’s, they quickly settled in Mississauga.  Now John was working close to home, and the children getting a little older. Finola completed her studies to become an insurance adjuster.  She enjoyed working with her many friends and colleagues at Primmum Insurance, The Personal and Royal Insurance.

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elevated 1BKOw Even after living in Canada for over 30 years, “home” was still Cork.  The Cork Association of Toronto helped keep the connection to “home” alive.  John and Finola made great friends and always joined in the Cork Associations entry into the Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Annual Cork Association dinner.

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elevated 1BKOw Retirement offered more time to enjoy Canada’s landscape and its waterways.  John and Finola cruised Lake Ontario, the Bay of Quinte, and the Trent-Severn Waterway on their boat. Later, Finola could be found at their cottage on the shores of Pigeon Lake, with her nose stuck in a good mystery novel.

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elevated 1BKOw The family thanks Finola’s caregivers during her long illness, especially the staff at Credit Valley Hospital.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Trillium Health Partners Foundation Cancer fund.

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elevated 1BKOw Finola is remembered as a lovely gentle lady who was a delight to be with. She will be sadly missed.

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elevated 1BKOw Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam … May she rest in peace.

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