Rev. Barbara Young in Memoiriam

Reverend Barbara was born in Windsor, Ontario on August 10, 1938. Growing up in a family with three sisters, Barbara’s childhood years were spent in Southern Ontario. She trained for the teaching profession in London, Ontario, and took a position as an elementary teacher in the public school  system. She married a young teacher, Doug Young, and after their first child, Heather, was born, Barbara became a stay at home Mum for a few years. Barbara then took a position in a local private school and she taught there for many years, and was much loved by students and colleagues alike.

In her early forties, Barbara felt the call to train for the ministry and entered Knox College, Toronto where she gained her M.Div. degree. After ordination, Barbara served as minister in Knox Presbyterian Church, Bayfield, Ontario and in St. Andrew’s PC Ailsa Craig, Ontario.

Meanwhile,  Barbara’s daughter, Heather had moved west to British Columbia and Barbara wished to be near Heather and her young family. The vacancy at Saanich Peninsula PC was an opportunity to be nearer to Heather, and Reverend Barbara answered the call to SPPC where she served from August 1998 to September 2005.

During her ministry at SPPC, Barbara and Doug faced a long and difficult struggle with her husband’s cancer which became terminal.

In September 2005, Barbara retired from ministry, a misnomer of significant proportion! Always active and enthusiastic, Barbara was heavily engaged by the churches of the Presbytery in pulpit supply. Her friendly manner, positive and hopeful sermons, delivered with a sense of humour, enabled her to engage with congregations as a welcomed visiting preacher. Her passion for preaching the gospel was evident. In the “Children’s Time,” her experience and skill as an elementary teacher was clear to all as she told the stories of Jesus.

In 2012, Barbara was married to Chuck McCaffree and she and her new husband enjoyed an active life travelling and spending time in the sunshine of warmer climes. On her return from Arizona each Spring, Barbara was immediately available for pulpit supply, much to the delight of her colleagues in ministry and the congregations she visited, including some community church congregations on the Gulf islands.

Again this summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming Barbara to the pulpit of SPPC, and there was a noticeable  gathering of old friends, both at the service and for the after service coffee hour, where many lingered to chat.

On August 25th, Barbara was scheduled to preach at one of her favourite churches, Trinity, Victoria, but had to cancel at the last minute, as she was experiencing some discomfort. At the urging of her husband, Barbara went to hospital. Later that day at Royal Jubilee Hospital, Barbara passed away. Her passing was a terrible shock to her family and to all the congregations she had served so well.

The service of Celebration of Life for Reverend Barbara was held at Saanich Peninsula PC, with Reverend Irwin Cunningham and the Moderator of Presbytery, Rev. Reid Chudley, officiating. Reid was in the  unique position to share that Rev. Barbara had officiated at his ordination, some fifteen years earlier. The congregations of many friends and colleagues in ministry joined to celebrate the life and service of Barbara Young. The service of celebration had the joyful and uplifting hymns that reflected the spirit of Barbara’s ministry.
Barbara's life of service to the churches of this Presbytery will no doubt, be remembered with gratitude. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a good and faithful servant, serving her Lord faithfully "all the day long."

submitted by Roy Napier.