OBITUARY: Isabel Sullivan BARRY (1941-2024)

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Isabel Sullivan Barry, on Sept. 24 at the CHUL. She passed away with her daughters by her side, after a brave battle with multiple systems atrophy (MSA), a degenerative disease that is one of the atypical Parkinsonism disorders.

Isabel was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1941. She loved reading and being a big sister to Raymonde. While she skipped a grade in school, she was always up for a good time. She particularly enjoyed history and shared her passion for this subject as a high school teacher. Whether she was skiing with friends in Vermont, travelling or teaching, Isabel had a strong sense of social justice and embraced people from all walks of life.

In 1970, Isabel was assistant principal of a high school in Massachusetts. During this time, she and one of her best friends, Ann Hurley, planned a trip to Quebec City and a stay at the Château Frontenac. On her way there, she serendipitously met Claude Barry, thanks to a very long line at the Canadian border. She and Claude, a pharmacist from Quebec City, started chatting away, and he offered to give her and Ann a tour of Quebec City!

In November 1972, Claude and Isabel were married at Saint-Dominique Church in Quebec City. As an American newcomer to Quebec, Isabel only knew Claude and his relatives. She took French classes and joined organizations like Madame Prend Congé. In September 1973, she gave birth to twin girls. She loved motherhood and took great pride in sewing Halloween costumes for her daughters and clothes for their dolls, cooking up a storm for family celebrations and holidays, and bringing the girls to the Grand Théâtre for Les Croques Musique, the Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec, the library and so much more. During this time, she was part of the parents’ committee at Mademoiselle Merveille, where she helped co-found La Ludothèque, a toy library, and many other initiatives.

In 1980, Isabel’s world opened up when she discovered Quebec’s English-speaking community, including other American women married to French-speaking Quebecers. She became involved with the University Women’s Club (CFUW) and the American Colony Club. Over the years, she was president of these clubs more than once. Later on she was an active member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, Think Tank and a play-reading group, in addition to joining book clubs. She wholeheartedly enjoyed the camaraderie and the sense of purpose that went along with these groups. Over the years, Isabel particularly enjoyed playing a key role with the CFUW’s annual book fair and the annual bursary.

In addition, she volunteered with the Canadian Girl Guides. She was a devoted “Brown Owl” to Brownies and an Assistant Guide leader, and a member of the Quebec Art Company. She relished the time spent with her daughters, their friends and parents in these groups, especially the Robertson, Klassen and Boardman families! In the winter, Isabel loved skiing at Stoneham and Mont-Sainte-Anne, and looked forward to her summers in Maine, where she spent time as a child.

Isabel’s deep love for Maine was passed on to her daughters, who are Maine-iacs at heart like her. On top of the salty air, sound of the waves, seafood and fun times with family, Isabel prized her long beach walks, gathering with her New England friends, reading books by the ocean, collecting seashells with her daughters, visiting the Portland Art Museum, relishing lobster dinners and ice cream each evening, and so much more. Her collection of accessories and clothing with lobster motifs are reminders of memories from this special place.

While she was a New Englander at heart, Isabel loved living in Quebec City and was an active member of the community. Once her daughters entered high school, she became executive director of Voice of English-speaking Québec (VEQ). Years later, she became director of continuing education at Université Laval. Isabel could spot a natural teacher a mile away! She saw potential in newcomers, often women married to Quebecers, whom she hired to teach in the program. She was a fierce advocate for them and helped many relaunch professionally in Quebec after taking a pause to raise their families. Her friend Margo Marshall described Isabel as someone who welcomed newcomers into the community and helped them make Quebec their home. She was a member of multiple organizations, including the Catholic Women’s League, Saint Brigid’s Guild, Esperanza and more. She was a board member of the YWCA, Jeffery Hale Community Partners, Les Amis du Musée du Québec and the St. Patrick’s Church board of trustees. Isabel was a community leader and builder who never shied away from giving a helping hand to move projects forward.

Isabel thrived on being part of a community. She welcomed newcomers and informally guided them, since she understood that being new to a city could be lonely without immediate family close by.

For many years, during the holidays, she loved hosting a Mother-Daughter Tea. She would “bake away” two days before the tea and thoroughly enjoyed this yearly tradition of bringing friends and their daughters together for holiday cheer.

Isabel was predeceased by her beloved husband Claude. She is survived by her twin daughters, Isabelle Barry and Claudia Barry-Garcia (Albert); her grandson Lucas; her sister Raymonde Kramlich (Douglas); her sister-in-law Constance Anctil; nieces and nephews Cameron (Carrie), Kendra, Christopher, Kira (Bryan), Pierre (Chantale); Louis (Suzanne), Marie, François (Josée); great-niece Blair and relatives of the Barry and Sullivan family. She leaves behind her beloved childhood friends Pat Bergin and Ann Hurley; her dear friends known as the “Ya-Ya Sisters” Marty Hannah, Nancy Tseng, Gloria Veilleux and Judi Garon, and close friends Jewel Fink, Margo Marshall, Christiane Soulodre, Dorrit Hall and Laura and Pierre Gagnon’s family. She also leaves behind wonderful memories from her yearly summers in Maine with the KramBarrys (formed of her immediate Barry family and her sister Raymonde Kramlich’s family), as well as the entire Hohmann family from Boston.

We would like to express a heartfelt thank you to her caregivers Claudine Ouellet and Ginette Senneville for their outstanding care and attention, and to her deeply devoted friend Marty Hannah, who went above and beyond as a friend, a guardian angel and a staunch medical advocate for Isabel throughout the progress of her MSA. We extend deep gratitude to Nancy Tseng, who was a constant source of friendship, support and strength throughout for Isabel and her daughters. Similarly, Isabel’s sister Raymonde was always a bright light for Isabel. Whether she was Zooming weekly with Isabel during her MSA or flying in with Kendra from the west coast to spend time with her sister, which included throwing festive birthday celebrations for Isabel in Maine and later in Quebec, Raymonde and her family meant the world to Isabel.

Mom, you will always be in our hearts. We are proud of you for forging ahead with dignity, strength, courage, faith and optimism throughout the isolating and devastating progress of MSA.

The funeral will be held at St. Patrick’s Church, 1145 Ave de Salaberry, Quebec City, on Friday, Oct. 25. Condolences at 10:30 a.m., funeral mass at 11 a.m. and reception to follow. The burial will be at Belmont Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Mission MSA at missionmsa.org or to the Saint Brigid’s Home Foundation Guild Fund by mail at 1270 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Suite 2000, Quebec City, QC, G1S 2M4 or online at canada-helps.org/en/charities/saint-brigids-home-foundation.