Obituary - 8197

8197  Barry Williment

                         


Died: 08 December, 1966 (Leukemia)

Yes indeed, I remember Barry well. By the time we made it to second year​ we were whittled down just five from the original fifteen or so who started in first year in Cartier Flight so we were quite close.

Barry was definitely the quiet one of the group, but he was a strong team player and he had a great sense of humour. He was well liked by all of us but he and Joe Sharpe were particularly close.

I will never forget the day we learned that Barry had leukemia. We had just sat down to lunch and the college medical officer interrupted things to make the announcement. For the rest of the lunch time things were pretty quiet in the mess hall. I don't remember anything from the time of the announcement until we were dismissed. I headed back to my dorm room immediately. I knew that Joe had gone back to the dorm ahead of me so I went to his room and found him in tears. That was enough for me. I sat down and wept along with him. We stayed there for an hour or so. Nothing else seemed important. It was like losing a brother. We had been through so much together. Understand that in 1966 being diagnosed with leukemia was a death sentence. They didn't have anything like the treatments that are available today. Losing Barry was a big blow for all of us and it took a long time for things to get back to normal in Cartier Flight. Sorry I couldn't provide a more uplifting story but I thought you might like to know more about how those who were closest to Barry at the college were affected by his death.

On another note, I lived in Winnipeg from 1980 to '88. One day in 1986 I was thumbing through the Winnipeg Free Press and I noticed a memorial to Barry on the obituary page. That was unusual because I almost never looked at the obituary page, but there was Barry's picture which I recognised right away. It was the twentieth anniversary of his death and his mother had placed the item. That prompted me to contact her by phone. She was quite delighted to hear from me when I explained how I knew Barry. We tried to get together but just couldn't work it out.

Written by Doug MacQuarrie



O/C Barry Wayne Williment

Birth: 14 Apr 1946 Morden, Pembina Valley Census Division, Manitoba, Canada

Death: 8 Dec 1966 (aged 20)

Burial: Eriksdale Municipal Cemetery, Eriksdale, North Interlake Census Division, Manitoba, Canada

Memorial #: 163614802

Bio: Son of Frank and Stella Williment.




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