Obituary of Loren Arthur Baribeau

Loren passed away in his sleep at his cottage, his favourite place in all the world, on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at the age of 58. He will be greatly missed by his partner and soulmate Carol Scott; by his children Tyson, Zachary (Rylie) and Kailee; by his grandchildren River, Oriah, Knox and Aslan to whom he was known as "Happy Pappy"; and by his eight brothers and sisters: Mike (Muriel), Rick (Leila), Robin (Suñi), Jack (Gisele), Debbie (Trevor), Tim (Jo-Anne), Allan (Andrea) and Nicole. Loren was predeceased by his mom Rita; his dad Andre, who could rip a phonebook in half with his hands if they weren't being used to do handstands on top of the drive-ins he had built; and his little brother Laurier. Loren was lovingly nicknamed "Bugsy" in his hometown of Saskatoon, where men wear bunny hugs and you can watch your dog run away for two days. He was a lover of naps, hot showers, reading, and of all things grand and just in this world. The controller of the cottage waves and guardian of secrets of the universe, he was a passionate engaging storyteller who spoke with gusto and an open heart. He could build anything and loved the challenge of complicated designs. Loren was an incredibly strong man, both physically and mentally. In his previous neighborhood of Byron in London, Ontario, he was known as "Coach" to many kids involved in hockey and baseball. Loren could skate backwards faster than most can skate forwards. 'Keep your shoulders straight!" he would always say. "Straight spine, clear mind." Loren was passionate about human rights and advocated tirelessly for others. If you knew him, you were captivated by his intellect, entertained by his sense of humour, and motivated by his energy. He never minced his words and he wore his heart on his sleeve. Visitation will be held from 9:30 – 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at WESTVIEW FUNERAL CHAPEL, 709 Wonderland Road North, London where a memorial service will be conducted at 12:00 p.m. Registration is required to attend the visitation and/or service. For those who might be inclined to send flowers to Carol, he would have preferred that you consider supporting the Mission Services of London. Rest easy, Pappy. To register for Loren’s visitation, please use this link and follow the instructions: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visitation-for-loren-baribeau-registration-113168574252 To register for Loren’s memorial service, please use this link and follow the instructions: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/memorial-service-for-loren-baribeau-registration-113169609348 Please note: as per the directive of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, https://thebao.ca/registrars-directive-changes-to-funeral-and-visitation-attendance/ attendance numbers will be restricted. Please be aware that COVID protocols are in place which may preclude some from being able to attend and masks are mandatory.