BARRY WILLIAM ROSS TOWNS

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Barry into the Spirit World on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, at his home near Ste. Genevieve, MB, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was predeceased by his parents, George Mallory Towns and Edythe Louise Tweed, his brother Ronald, his sisters-in-law Peggy Towns and Judy Towns and his nephews, Drew Towns and Daniel Drewitt.

Barry is survived by his partner of 25 years, Sue Ostapowich, his stepdaughter, Angie Bedard (Marcus), his siblings, Wayne (Mona), Gerald (Rhonda, Noreen), Grant (Jenny), Carol (John), Sharon, Brent (Sandra), Heather (Richard), Lisa, and sister-in-law, Eleanor Jaslowski as well as many nieces and nephews. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Barry was born on August 2, 1953, in Killarney, MB, the 5th of 10 children. Barry always spoke fondly of his growing up years in the country on a farm and often mentioned his beloved Pancake Lake which was near their home. It seems there were many joyful times there in the country, attending a country school along with his siblings, cousins and childhood friends, and his farmyard pets! He often spoke of meager times as he pursued his many passions and interests in playing chess, listening to music and satisfying his seemingly insatiable need to read. To finance these interests, he sold products such as greeting cards and religious wall hangings. It seems he was a very successful salesman and was welcome at every door. It was likely that winning smile and suave sales pitch that won him that success! This smile and his friendly and endearing nature, undoubtedly gave him an upper edge in all his future endeavors. Barry was competitive from childhood onwards, and had the intellect, mental capacity and physical prowess to excel in whatever he tackled throughout his life.

At the age of 13 Barry’s world expanded significantly as their father moved the family to Winnipeg. There he attended River Heights Junior High and Kelvin High. He loved sports such as hockey and football, and having grown up in the country, often mentioned regretting not having had opportunities to be involved at an earlier age. He often did ‘armchair’ coaching while watching television, remarking how he would have navigated that return much better, and I suspect he would have given his athleticism!

Barry led a varied and adventurous life, both personally and professionally, earning many accolades along the way. As a young man he began his long history in the transportation service industry, first driving for Moore’s and Unity from 1973 to 1977. Then, in the ‘80s, he became a qualified and highly respected Chemical Dependency Counsellor and played a key role in creating the Manitoba Association of Chemical Dependency Workers. In the ‘90s he became involved in the taxi industry again and, together with his partner Sandra Bedard, owned and operated two cabs. He was also instrumental in establishing Unicity Taxi Ltd. This was before GPS, and even in later years he could still recite Winnipeg’s streets in order from whichever direction asked for. Later in life – 2014 to 2022 – he launched his own courier company, Rising Star Courier. With his dedication to superior service, he created a successful company in a highly competitive industry in Winnipeg that he was proud of and it was only the medical diagnosis of cancer which led to its sale.

Other pursuits along the way included helping with his family’s asphalt business, managing a Northern Store in the community of Little Grand Rapids, and, when falling on hard times after the tech market crash of 1999, found a variety of employment including tech support for an internet server Comcast, worked at Kitchen Craft and at Tim Horton’s! Barry was hard-working and industrious, always looking toward the next opportunity.

Somehow, between these endeavours, he found time to vacation and travel, learned to fly small aircraft, do a parachute jump, pursued scuba diving, became an accomplished dancer, tennis player, golfer, chess player, and followed many musicians, with his main idol being Waylon Jennings. It seemed that he excelled at any activity he put his mind to, likely in part due to his high intellect referenced earlier, which is evidenced by his official invitation to be assessed by and was given preliminary admission to Mensa Canada. Additionally, Barry was prolific in his writing of letters to the editor of the Winnipeg Free Press addressing such issues as rights of part-time workers, abortion issues, the Meech Lake Accord, International Trade and various other social issues affecting the average person.

Barry was adept at the use of computers and owned a Commodore as soon as it became publicly available for purchase, and when the internet arrived, his ability to research improved dramatically. He was often called upon by family and friends to help sort out their problems and advise on best strategies to resolve legal issues, or to write their correspondence for the best resolution to their situation. Barry had an amazing vocabulary which he used with total comprehension. Some said he should have been a lawyer. Later, he attended the Academy of Learning and achieved Honors in Web Design.

After briefly exploring real estate and learning sound investment principles, Barry and Sue purchased a home on Warsaw Avenue in the desirable Corydon area, where they welcomed international students. Barry thoroughly enjoyed serving as a substitute parent, sharing his culture and daily life with them, and especially loved serenading them with his guitar and singing!

During this time, they also purchased a country property near Ste. Genevieve, MB, where nature abounds and peace and tranquillity prevail. Barry loved nature, whether it was hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, or just walking along a beach! Certainly, the purchase of the country property gave him much joy. Sadly, he had little time to enjoy his efforts there, but his legacy to Mr. Bumbles and friends will carry on! The property will remain a haven for the deer, the foxes, and bees which have given us, and others, so much pleasure and entertainment.

Upon being diagnosed with cancer he dedicated himself to researching the best approach to his condition. He decided to use alternative means and pursued a variety of treatments, and had considerable success, adding several years of life to his medical prognosis, even to being the only person who ‘walked’ out of the hospice at the Grace hospital where he had outlived the admission time limits. Barry did accept some of the western medical interventions but was combining the alternative and modern medicine for a best result for himself. One Cancer Care doctor whom Barry attended for consult some 3 years after seeing him previously, said to him he was very surprised that he was still alive! Over the past year he began using AI to assist him in developing his treatment plan. This greatly enhanced his understanding of various supplementations, interactions and cancer itself.

Barry was extremely well read and amassed an exquisite collection of Classic books by Heritage Press which were replicas of their original publications. Barry read incessantly, for pleasure and research, fortified by his ability to read quickly with excellent understanding and retention, often reading an entire book in a day.

One of his favorite quotes from Sir William Osler reads “Live Life in Day-Tight Compartments”, and, for the most part, Barry lived life like that, not worrying about the mistakes and anxieties of the past, and uncertainties of the future, but living life the best he could, today.

Family meant everything to Barry, and we will all miss him beyond words.

A Celebration of his Life will be held at the Norwood Community Centre, 87 Walmer Street, Winnipeg, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. There will be an Open Mic for those of you who wish to come forward to speak.

Flowers are gratefully declined and, rather than donations, we ask that you celebrate yourself as a life worth celebrating.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

1833 Portage Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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