Bar Gregson, the third of six children born to Arthur and Amy Claxton of Kamloops passed away peacefully in Royal Inland Hospital with her family at her side.
She was predeceased by all her siblings, and by her husband Jack in 2006.
Bar was born in Kamloops, back when it was a town of 5,000 and just about everyone knew everyone else. She still remembered who 'belonged' to all the old dwellings in the West End where she grew up. After completing high school at Allan Mathews she graduated from St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver in 1937 and returned to Kamloops to nurse after training at Tranquille Sanatorium where she met her future husband Jack. She was in England in 1939 when Jack, who could stand her absence no longer, wired her asking her to return home, as war with Hitler was imminent. She caught the last liner embarking from England before hostilities broke out and Jack intercepted her train in Salmon Arm. They were married two days later on May 23rd, 1939.
Bar gave up her nursing career to help Jack with this entomological pursuits and together they traveled much of the world in pursuit of 'bugs', mountains and exotic places, and together they created an oasis from a patch of tumbleweed on the bend in the river - 'Grenehalghe', where they raised their five kids. From these issued nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren, all of whom, with the exception of one, were 'home' for Christmas just weeks ago. It was a happy occasion without a hint of her abrupt passing this short time later.
She will be greatly missed by John, Sandra (Merv), Petrina (Sandy), Sally (David) & Ian (Jenny), their children and grandchildren and numerous nephews & nieces.
Bar & Jack were until recently very active in the Kamloops Outdoor Club, and Bar continued her association with her PEO, the Kamloops Garden Club and the Naturalist Club after Jack's death. She took great pride in her flower garden and sharing the bounty from her large vegetable garden. (Her last wish before passing was that John dig up the parsnips that were wintering in the 'veggie' garden).
