Barbara Eleanor (Copeland) Cheesman, 81, formerly of Johnstown, Ontario passed away at St. Joseph’s Continuing Care in Cornwall on Friday, May 8, 2020.
Barb was born in Cornwall, Ontario on April 19, 1939 and grew up on the Copeland Farm along the banks of Gray’s Creek and the St Lawrence River.
Barb graduated from the Cornwall General Hospital School of Nursing in 1960. She worked in the operating room at the Cornwall General Hospital and then North York Branson in Toronto until her retirement. She was a kind, caring and compassionate nurse who in 1983 invented and obtained a patent for “Countway” which was a system used in operating rooms to handle and count soiled sponges and determine blood loss.
She enjoyed horseback riding and played softball for the CGH team.
When Barb retired, she moved to Johnstown, Ontario where she enjoyed time with family and friends; gardening and caring for lost and injured animals (cats, birds and rabbits) that she found on and around her waterfront property. Barb was a proud member of the Prescott Tennis Club. She loved to get out on the court daily, even traveling to Potsdam, NY with friends in the winter so they could play indoors.
Barb travelled to many places throughout her lifetime including North America, Europe and parts of Asia.
Barb is survived by and will be greatly missed by her children Karen (Butch) Moore and Scott (Lisa) Cheesman. Her loving grandchildren Adam (Kelsey) MacDonald, Kaitlyn (Scott Joly) MacDonald, Derek (Natasha) MacDonald, Taylor Cheesman, Ben (Roxanne) Moore and Ted Moore as well as her much loved great grandchildren Rhys, Charlie, Scotlyn, Lachlan and Adelyn. Barb is also survived by her former spouse Fred Cheesman. She will be fondly remembered by family, friends and all who knew her.
Barb is predeceased by her parents George Copeland and Dorothy (Harrington) Copeland-Brydges; her brother Don Copeland; brother-in-law Daryle Cheesman and sisters-in-law Margot Copeland, Gert Cheesman and Grace Cheesman.
A memorial service will take place at a later date when we are able to get together again to celebrate Barb’s life with family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Barb’s honour would be greatly appreciated to either St Joseph’s Continuing Care in Cornwall or the CHEO Foundation. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Brownlee Funeral Home MacDougall Chapel Ingleside 1-613-537-8376.