Obituary of James Barry Loveys

James Barry Loveys, beloved husband of Peggy Loveys, loving father to Christine Geauvreau (Chip), Craig (Krista), and Brian (Marlaina), dearest grandfather to Ally, Regan, Sam, Kate, Chloe, Reed, and Brock, and step-grandfather to Colt and Jack. Barry, as everyone called him, was born in Toronto on February 17, 1943, to Alma and Albert Loveys. Barry had a big family, his sister Barbara Catto (late Charles), and his brothers Bob (Helen), John (Lynda), and Ron (Judy). Adored by his sister-in-law Marilyn (late Merv) and remembered fondly by many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Growing up in Etobicoke, Barry always had fond memories of Birchview Boulevard. He enjoyed summers at Manitoulin island and the Muskokas growing up. These experiences engrained Barry's love of the water, cottages, boats, and small towns throughout his life. He also loved to play. Give him a puck, tennis ball, horseshoes, football, birdie, or frisbees - it simply didn't matter, he loved them all. When he was a teenager, Barry had his first encounter with health issues. When he was 15, Barry was diagnosed with spina bifida, which ultimately required a spinal fusion. Shortly after that, Barry was not out of the woods. He had obstruction issues with his kidney forcing him to have kidney surgery. Between both problems, he was out of high school for almost two years recovering. But his health challenges didn't stop there. For Bob and Helen's wedding, Barry drove a convertible with the top down in bad weather only to end up with tuberculosis pneumonia, where he was given a 50% chance of survival. But Barry persevered, and after a year or two, he was back enjoying life. Speaking of convertibles, he loved cars and took much pride in keeping care of them. Driving them, looking at them, washing them, and filling them up for gas. Not just cars, but he also used to drive a scooter to get around Toronto. What was always funny about Barry is that his latest car was always his favourite car - "this is the best car I've ever had'. Barry also loved to drive. He loved to take detours, take his time, travel through small towns, and avoid the highways. Barry always had a backroad to take….sometimes to the frustration of his family! Until his death, he was always enamored with cars, particularly classic cars from the '50s. From a career standpoint, Barry followed in the footsteps of his father. His father Albert worked at General Foods in sales, so Barry, at an early age, got interested in the food business and sales. Barry initially took a summer job working at Hostess delivering chips in Toronto and in cottage country north of Toronto. Later on, Barry would find Kelloggs and never take another job again. Barry worked as a dedicated sales rep at Kellogg's for over 40 years. He loved Kelloggs, which was evident by the copious amounts of cereal he consumed. It wasn't uncommon for Barry to have cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Moreover, he would mix cereals to experiment on new tastes! Nothing like a bowl of Froot Loops and Raisin Bran with a little sprinkle of Special K on top. And yes, now that Barry has passed, we can tell everyone some of Barry’s Kellogg secrets that will give you an understanding of how he spoiled his children. For every new cereal, his first sales pitch was always to his children! They were the first to taste a new cereal brand - they always had early VIP access before the general public. And of course, all of the marketing and promotional materials. When Dad was supposed to give first dibs on promotional items to customers, it seemed his most important customers were his kids. He gave his kids first dibs to Sens tickets, the Grey Cup, hockey jerseys, hockey sticks, shirts, sweaters - you name it. He always thought of his kids first. The love of his life Peggy. Barry met Peggy through a blind date, and for reasons, we still don't fully understand, and he could never explain, it took him three months to call Peggy after their first date! Soon after, they fell in love and moved from Toronto to Orillia to Burlington and had three children (Christine, Craig, and Brian). After a few short years, Barry had an excellent opportunity at Kellogg's in Ottawa - where he would remain for the rest of his life. Their love for one another remained strong throughout their marriage and carried throughout his health challenges (heart attack at 64, stroke at 66, and another just recently). Peggy provided loving and relentless care throughout the years. Barry was always sweet to Peggy, whether it was one of his patented hugs, and he always placed her needs above his (he knew better!). Even in the end, it was amazing to see the two of them together and the love and bond that they shared. Barry was known for being a humble, funny, honest, and kind man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He had a wonderfully warm and loving smile. He loved and cherished his children and grandchildren dearly. He was always there for them, whether playing catch and hitting fly balls, boat rides, throwing the football, driving to the rink, playing "bats" after dinner, telling a joke, or singing goofy songs. Moreover, he always treated others with kindness and respect, regardless of who they were. He never met a waiter or waitress that wasn't the best, or a meal that wasn't wonderful. Barry was also unpretentious. He never cared about money or material things. He never wore brand name shirts or drove fancy cars, and he couldn't have been happier owning an old Aluminum boat with a 60 horsepower engine. His father-in-law always used to say - "Barry walked around like every day was Christmas". Barry, we love you, and we'll miss you. You'll always be in our hearts and our memories. Rest in peace.We would like to thank the caring and compassionate nurses and doctors on the A3 floor of the Queensway Carleton Hospital. We would also like to thank all friends and family for their love and support. Cremation has taken place. There was a private interment, and there will be a family celebration of life. In memory of Barry, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Condolences and sharing of memories at www.capitalmemorial.com