April 2, 1933 – February 16, 2025
Elinor Barr, age 91, passed away on February 16, 2025, in Hospice at St. Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay. She was born Elinor Carolyn Berglund in Fort William's McKellar Hospital on April 2, 1933, and grew up in Ignace, Ontario. In 1954, she graduated from McKellar Hospital as a Registered Nurse. That same year she married Peter Barr. They lived the rest of their lives in Port Arthur, now part of the City of Thunder Bay, interspersed with stints of several years in New Zealand, Pennsylvania and Orangeville.
Elinor attended Lakehead University, graduating in 1974 with an Honours Degree in History. This milestone heralded the beginning of a lengthy career as author, historian, book reviewer, researcher, publisher and distributor of local books, magazines and film videos through her company Singing Shield Productions. Throughout her career, she was encouraged and supported by her husband Peter. Beginning in 1979, she authored seven history books about Northwestern Ontario, subjects including Ignace, White Otter Castle, Silver Islet, the Port Arthur-Duluth Railway, and the Scandinavian Home. Her eighth book, a national study of Swedes in Canada, was published by University of Toronto Press in 2015, and is regarded as a hallmark study.
Elinor made many contributions of her time and talent. She was as a member of the Ontario Geographic Names Board for eight years. She published in the journal of the Geographic Names Board of Canada. She was also a member of the TVO board for six years. She published two biographies in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Locally, she was a member of the original Civic Names Board. She cooperated with the Thunder Bay Museum and the archival section of Lakehead University Library. She worked with Jim Hyder on the TV series “Distant Voices” and compiled a photo collection for “The Vast and Magnificent Land” book. She also scripted the independent film “The Castle of White Otter Lake” produced by Peter Elliot.
Elinor attended the Scandinavian Lutheran Church, Emmanuel and later after amalgamation, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, where she sang in the choir. She enjoyed playing her piano, particularly old polka tunes, and she taught piano for a while.
She is survived by sons Stuart (Mary Mazurek) and Peter (Lidia Bros), granddaughters Carolyn (Michael Baskin) and Heather (Sara Vickruck), their mother Kathryn, great grandchildren Leo Barr-Baskin and Quinn Barr-Baskin, brother Neil Berglund and special nephew Wade Berglund (Laurie) and other relatives too numerous to list here.
She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Peter Barr in February 2022, parents Tony and Mary Berglund, brother Wayne Berglund, his wife Carol, sister-in-law Lynn Berglund and nephew Gregory Berglund.
The Barr home was always open to visitors, friends and relatives from Canada, United States, Sweden and Scotland, and Elinor’s indomitable spirit and cheeky sense of humour never waned to the end.
Elinor wished to express her grateful thanks to the doctors and nurses who attended to her during several periods in hospital, and to those nurses, PSW’s and other care staff, who provided her home care for many months. She particularly thanks Brian Phillips, Mary MacKay, Cassandra Martin, Austin Cawlishaw, Brenda Bound, Wade Berglund and those friends who visited her and took her out places, making her later days more interesting and enjoyable.
She is also thankful to relatives and friends in Sweden who have kept in contact over the years, Ingeborg Karin, Ulla and Sten-ake Peterson.
Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of her Life will be held on Monday, February 24 at 11 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 10 Farrand St., Thunder Bay, Ontario.
A live stream of the service will be available at Our Saviour’s Thunder Bay Facebook page.
Private interment will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Thunder Bay & District Humane Society.
“Now I have gone away, and I can’t come back. Remember me kindly.”
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
