Kathleen May Barrett

Kathleen May Barrett (nee Devlin) died peacefully after a long illness surrounded by her  children and grandchildren Thursday, August 27th, 2026, at the age of 89. Predeceased by her parents, Olive and William Devlin, her dear husband Gerry, her twin Arleen Macpherson, her sister Patricia, and her brother Tom. Loving mother of Bill (Caroline Zentner), Nancy (Steve McCabe), Paul (Kristen Hallett), Patti (Hugh Robillard), Susan (Patrick Nadon) and Colleen (Pamela Girardi). Beloved Granny to Peter (Paige), Andrew (Kyla), Sarah (Tristan), Tim (Caitlin), Josh (Anneli), Sean, Adam (Hannah), Becky (Juan), David (Ashi), Nathan (Serenity), Maja (Charlie), Evan, Zoelle, Noah, Sage and Zeben. Great Granny to Margot, Rosemary, Prescott and Simone. She will also be dearly missed by her brother Bill and sisters Linda and Lucille, as well as her many nieces and nephews.

Kay was born May 16, 1937 in Haileybury, Ontario. She cherished her memories of growing up in Northern Ontario with her 6 siblings. Over the course of her life, she served as a joyful teacher, a nurturing personal support worker, and a leader in various faith communities including Saint Augustine’s Church, Cursillo and the Waupoos Foundation. Friends and family remember her as a source of wisdom with a listening ear. She was a model of hospitality and inclusion who saw the best in others and always had room for one more at the dinner table. She was a lifelong learner, embracing whatever life presented, looking for blessings even in challenging times. She lived her journey with dementia with a spirit of grace. Her children will miss her deeply but have hearts full of gratitude for all the love she gave.

The family thanks the staff at Garden Terrace for their 9 years of compassionate and loving care of not just Kay but the whole family. Cremation has taken place. Friends and family are invited to a visitation from 5-9 pm with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Tubman’s Funeral Home (Westboro) on Monday, August 31st at 403 Richmond Road. A celebration of life is planned for October 17, 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations to Waupoos Family Farm or the Dementia Society are appreciated.