DIANA BARKWELL RN. PhD 

(nee Weekes)

 

With sadness and love we announce that our cherished Diana passed on peacefully on December 17, 2016 at West Park Manor.

 

Diana Barkwell was born at St. Michaels Parish Barbados, the cherished daughter of Alphonso and Sybil Weekes, the sister of Tyrone (Joanie), Tony (Mary) and Marcia Weekes. She was predeceased by her father. She lived in Barbados and Aruba before coming to Brandon, Manitoba with her family as a teenager.

 

Diana is deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her husband Lawrie, children Katrina and David, grandson James (and his mother Monique Jensen). The children were the joy of her life. Her very close friends Jan McIntyre, Noreen Morrow, Diana Clarke and Denise Brown join us in our fond memories and recall of the many adventures that life brings.

 

Diana completed her high school education at Vincent Massey Collegiate in Brandon. She then lived in residence while completing her RN at the Misericordia School of Nursing in 1970. She represented her graduating class as Rose Ball Queen. Later she completed her BA at the University of Saskatchewan (1975), BScN at the same University (1982), MN at the University of Manitoba (1988) and her PhD (Interdisciplinary) at the University of Manitoba in 2000. During her graduate studies she received numerous bursaries, scholarships and grants, most significantly those from the Manitoba Health Research Council. Diana worked as a Registered Nurse at the Emergency Department of the Misericordia Hospital, a Community Nurse and Palliative Care Specialist for the Victorian Order of Nurses, and Public Health Nurse for the Province of Manitoba.

 

Her long teaching career included: Instructor at the Galt School of Nursing Lethbridge, Alberta; Nursing Instructor at the Health Sciences Centre School of Nursing, Winnipeg; and lecturer then Professor at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Nursing. At the U of M she taught Theory and Clinical Practice of Palliative Care. Diana was a presenter at many international conferences and was published in several refereed academic journals. She retired from the Faculty of Nursing in 2006. Diana was a member of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology and served as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Canadian Cancer Society, Manitoba Division.

 

Diana’s lifelong passion was music. She was an accomplished vocalist. She sang in a variety of church choirs, most notably at St. Luke’s Anglican Church (where we were married in 1984) and lastly at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church. In the 1980s Diana competed in the Winnipeg Music Festival and was the top vocalist in her class in the competition of Class C Solo Vocalists, thus qualifying as a finalist for the James Seaton Trophy. Diana was a choir member of both the Winnipeg Philharmonic and Women of Note choirs at various times.

 

Diana’s kindness and deep caring for others was reflected in the work she did. She was humble and generous and lived with an effervescence that energized us. She exhibited cheerfulness and resilience throughout her life. She was famous for her elaborate birthday parties which were a particular delight for the children’s friends and school-mates. This was only surpassed by the extensive planning and detail of Christmas celebrations which were always a delight.

 

A celebration of Diana’s life will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 29, 2016 in St. Philips Anglican Church, 240 Tache Avenue with Tanis Kolisnyk the celebrant.

 

Our family would like to express our sincere gratitude the staff of West Park Manor for the care, kindness and love they exhibited in caring for Diana over the last five years.