Heather Barnes
Memorial Website
Thank you for visiting Heather’s memorial website. While first imagined by Heather as a place to explore all of her performance, music, and teaching efforts, this website has been repurposed at Heather’s request to serve as a space where people can celebrate her life through her music and art, and share stories with her family and friends.
By following the tabs above, visitors can view Heather’s self-written memoir “This is Happening”, a link to the Diagenesis Duo website (Heather’s primary musical and artistic endeavour with partner Jen Bewerse), Heather’s obituary, and a guestbook where private messages and photos in remembrance of Heather can be left for close family and friends. Heather remained busy with her music and art projects until the very end, and the Diagenesis Duo website will continue to publish their work as it is prepared for release in the coming months.
Memorial & Celebration of Life
While a small gathering will be held in the future, due to the challenges and limitations presented by the COVID- 19 pandemic and in light of the fact that Heather has lived in different places around the world, Heather has left instructions for those wishing to celebrate her life in their own locations:
Celebrate Heather’s Life
Date and Time: Anytime, although a coordinated effort will be made for later in the summer (likely August).
Plant Something
Some of Heather’s favourite things to plant were borage, echinacea, sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, milkweed, basil, lavender, yarrow, tomatoes, beans, alpine or regular strawberries, and pollinator or wildflower mix.
Create Music
Sing a simple folksong, You are my Flower, that Heather sang to Eudora when she was a baby and also taught to her students. Listen to one of Heather’s favourite albums, Sarah Harmer’s I’m a Mountain (her favourite song from the album is I am aglow), or anything by Bach. Perform Rock Piece by Pauline Oliveros.
Meaningful Text
Read “Do not stand at my grave and weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye or Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney: “Travel to faraway places, live by the sea, do something to make the world more beautiful.” If you would like, donate Miss Rumphius to a neighbourhood library, or give as a gift to someone.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you offer donations in Heather’s memory to one of two organizations that she supported in her lifetime: the Myrna Loy Center of Helena, MT or the Bach Children’s Chorus of Toronto, ON.
Heather Barnes 