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, a photo slide show, and a guestbook to leave private messages and photos 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 to gather in person, and in recognition 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:
- 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: Borage, Echinacea, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Marigolds, Milkweed, Basil, Lavender, basil, Yarrow, tomatoes, beans, alpine/regular strawberries, pollinator or wildflower mix.
- Add some music:
- A simple folksong, You are my Flower, that Heather sang to Eudora when she was a baby and taught to her students https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xo-0_3jD4k
- One of Heather’s favourite albums Sarah Harmer’s I’m a Mountain (favourite song from the album is I am aglow). No hidden meanings here, just a favourite album!
- For the experimental musician: Rock piece (see below)
- Anything by Bach
- Add a Poem: “Do not stand at my grave and weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye
- Read Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney: “Travel to faraway places, live by the sea, do something to make the world more beautiful”
- If you want, donate this book 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 of Helena, MT (https://themyrnaloy.com/donate/) or the Bach Children’s Chorus or Toronto, ON (https://www.bachchildrenschorus.ca/donate).
Heather Barnes 