Barbara Susan Rogers

Barbara Susan Rogers (Shay) passed away peacefully on November 1, 2021, at home surrounded by her family.
Born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Barb was the second of eight children and is preceded in death by her parents, Earle and Margaret Shay (Mansfield), sister Linda Giffin (Shay), brothers Steven Shay and Barry Shay.
Mom began her professional career in Halifax in 1969 at Maritime Tel & Tel, moving to Petrofina in 1970 and staying there until 1972. At this point she moved to Caledonia to raise her family and in June 1974 began her career as a personnel clerk at Kejimkujik National Park, where she remained until her retirement in 2009. Many will tell you that she was the real heart of the office at Keji, for if you needed anything or needed to know anything she was the one to ask. She was the one constant person you could turn to when you needed advice and/or support.
Mom loved to give back to her community, assisting in the Meals on Wheels program, the community school breakfast program, and many more. As an active member in the Caledonia United Church she could always be counted on to support church events by cooking, baking and donating her time. Those who knew her will remember her most for her capacity and willingness to take care of everyone, her amazing ability to organize everything and everyone, as well her hilarious bouts of laughter leaving her (and everyone else) immobilized and in tears. The community will miss her presence and kind, generous spirit. Some of the people she loved the most called her Grandma….
Mom was a devoted mother always putting us, her children, first, a trend that continued into “grandmotherhood”. Mom loved being a ‘Grandma’ (we believe being a Grandma was her favourite thing) and has played an important role in each of her grandchildren’s lives sharing moments such as births, first days of school, proms, graduations and numerous sporting events and concerts. She was always there to love the kids, care for them, have sleepovers with them, bake with them (and for them!) and of course decorate with them for the holidays.
Mom instilled in each of us the importance of family, of being there for each other, supporting each other, being friends with each other. This lesson will remain with us always, as will her determination, strength, bravery and poise. There are so many beautiful things to remember and to hold dear, too many to mention, but we will say that her family will fondly remember, and dearly miss, the specialness of her, of all she did for us, all she taught us, all she gave to us. We have never met a stronger, braver, woman and feel blessed that we had her for our Mom.
Barb is survived by her loving husband of 51 years, Terje, children (Lesley, Marcy, and Stephanie), grandchildren (Cameron, Meghan, Kaelyn, Brett, Owen, Ava, Simon and Spencer), great-grandchild (Sawyer), sisters (Anne Kempton of Kingston, NS, Virginia Shay of Oliver, BC and Carol Shay of New Germany, NS) and brother (Wesley Shay of Kelowna, BC).
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Chandlers’ Funeral Home, Liverpool, NS. A celebration of her life will be held in Caledonia at her home (10099 Hwy 8) on Saturday, November 6, from 2-4 pm. Please follow vaccination protocols for attendance. Donations may be made to the North Queens Fire Association or the Community Food Resource Network, Caledonia.
Online condolences may be made to www.chandlersfuneral.com
Those we love don’t go away,
They walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near.
Still loved, still missed, and very dear.
Wishing us hope in the midst of sorrow,
Offering comfort in the midst of pain, both today and tomorrow.
Author Unknown