Marie Aiken-Barnes
July 1, 1926 - February 17, 2019
Funeral Details: A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 1:00 to 3:00 the Aurora Royal Canadian Legion Branch 385, Coulson Hall, 105 Industrial Parkway, Aurora, Ontario
Aiken-Barnes, Marie – Died peacefully on February 17, 2019 at the age of 92. Marie will be missed by her beloved husband Gordon Barnes; sister Lin Emmons; children Clare (Ed) Bryja, Carol Cooper, Anne Petitjean, and George (Sharon) Aiken; and her loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great, great-grandchild.
Cremation has taken place.
Please consider joining the Aurora Arboretum (www.auroraarboretum.ca).
Marie Miller was born in Alix, Alberta to Danish parents on Canada Day, 1926. Her father was a butter-maker, welding and assembling his own steam-powered creameries, while her mother was a lace-maker, knitter, dressmaker and a great cook.
They moved to Prince George, B.C., where father built three more creameries. After high school, Marie went to the Vancouver School of Art (now The Emily Carr.) She married Lt. Gordon Aiken in 1945 and they moved to Ontario, where she became a mother and the “at home” wife of a lawyer, judge and the MP from Parry Sound - Muskoka.
The teaching career began with night schools in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. She soon joined others on the Community Programs circuit under the wing of Bill Davis’ Department of Education. This group brought the arts to distant parts of the province.
In the ’60s the Ontario Craft Foundation began and Marie became the Director representing Northern Ontario. In 1968 they hired Gordon Barnes as Administrative Director. At the same time, the World Crafts Council became active and Marie and gave a paper on “Lichens as a Dye Source” to the WCC Conference in Dublin, Ireland. This resulted in an invitation to teach and research in Australia for the Arts Council and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in the summers of 1971-2-3. At the end of the ‘72 session, she took “the long way home,” going overland from Nepal to London, England.
Back in Canada, she founded the Tower Studios in a WWI potash factory on the shore of Muskoka Bay. During the 70’s the College system burst on the Ontario scene. Marie joined the Design Arts – Textiles Department at Georgian College in Barrie. She sold the Studio in ’81, moved to Midhurst home with a garden and a trout pond.
Marie has several large embroidered commissions to her credit. In the Gravenhurst Trinity United Church is a 4’x34’ balcony tapestry and three Dossal Curtains, 12’x30.’ Two 4’x15’ pieces hang in the Barrie Court House. Her work is included in A Fine Line, by Gail Crawford (1998) and Art of the Spirit, by Bradfield, Pringle & Ridout (1992).
After twelve years at Georgian, she married Gordon Barnes in 1989 and moved to their Aurora century-home. Their large garden was on tours, Doors Open and held tomato tastings. Always learning and teaching, Marie took cooking and gardening courses, worked with the Hogue Gardens volunteers, as a founding Director on the Aurora Arboretum, and recycled sewing machines through a women's crisis centre.
With help from Gordon, a low vision specialist and the CNIB, Marie learned to cope with macular degeneration that began in her 70s and finally a stroke that left her legally blind at 81. She continued reading, sewing, knitting and cheerfully giving information to her many friends – and former students.
Rest in peace at 92.
Penny Varney
Posted on: Thursday, February 21, 2019I am so sorry to get this news. Hope that I can get to the celebration of life. So many memories of Marie have come flooding back to me from meeting her in Gravenhurst when we first moved here, ,having her as an instructor at Georgian College and hearing her stories of the tapestries that she did for Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst
John Wright
Posted on: Friday, February 22, 2019Dear Gordon I was so sorry to hear of the passing of your wonderful lady Marie Stay strong you have many friends and family to help you through.
Paulette and Peter Dennis
Posted on: Saturday, February 23, 2019Dear Gordon and Anne,
We are saddened by hearing if Marie’s passing.
Her life really was an inspiration to the arts and crafts community.
Her wonderful woven copper-band flying bird will be even more revered as he floats under our pergola in the summer. We will remember.
Jan Freedman
Posted on: Monday, February 25, 2019I am devastated and deeply saddened to learn of the loss of one of my favourite people. So many of us have lost a treasured friend, a supporter of the arts in all forms, and a regular at the Farmers’ Market. We will miss her and she will always have a spot in my heart.
Catherine Morrison
Posted on: Tuesday, February 26, 2019So sorry to hear of Marie,s passing , I always looked up to her,she was a very special lady. As you have been special as well, my deepest sympathy to you and your family
Catherine Morrison
Posted on: Tuesday, February 26, 2019So sorry to hear of Marie,s passing,she was someone I really looked up to,a special lovely lady.My deepest condolences to you Gordon and your family.You and Marie were a wonderful couple. Hope knowing all your friends are thinking of you at this time we’ll help a wee bit.
Chris Ballard
Posted on: Saturday, March 2, 2019Gordon – Audrey and I are sorry to hear of Marie’s passing. I enjoyed the conversations we had and the tranquility of your home amidst the tumult of political life. Marie always had good advice about living life in the moment. Please take care.
Vickie Thomas
Posted on: Thursday, April 25, 2019For some reason I was called to search for Marie online today., April 25th. I studied with Marie in Barrie at Georgian College in the 80’s. I remember her studio in Gravenhurst and have thought of her many times over the years.
My sympathy to all of the family. I’m certain that the sorrow remains despite the months that have passed since February.
Jean and Ziba Fisher
Posted on: Friday, April 26, 2019Marie was a person who shated her understanding and skills freely and with happiness. Her warm smile welcomed conversation. She continued to create in spite of physical limitations. We miss her.
june chambers
Posted on: Saturday, April 27, 2019Marie was an “earth mother”…embracing humans and animals with love and compassion . Gordon was her husband, hero and best friend. Together they created a warm and welcoming home. The Barnes front yard was a tangled garden of beautiful weeds attracting the pollinators; behind the house, an abundance of healthy greens and vines heavy with tomatoes. These were generously shared or dried for winter pleasures.
I will cherish many memories of Marie. One of my favourites is of her mothering a wounded duck. “DUCK DUCK” followed her pink clogs everywhere while she literally spoke its language!
Kyla Marie Bowes Aiken
Posted on: Thursday, January 6, 2022I came across this poem today Nana and thought of you. When talking about reincartation you said you desired to come back as a sea gull or a whale. You always spoke of your childhood along the Fraser River in BC. I now live along it in and think of you every day ❤ You would love what I’m doing with the kids I work with. Your passed on skills, tools and supplies are in the hands of curious kids while we create, experiment and learn. Thank you for all your love and time you spent with me. I miss you and hope you’ve finally made it back to the Fraser River ❤
Love Kyla
Sea-Fever
BY JOHN MASEFIELD
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.