Ann Jackson was the beloved oldest child of Rona and Archie Barr born in Glasgow, Scotland on August 20, 1937. She is survived by her two younger siblings, Karen MacCormick and Michael Barr. In the early 1940s Ann’s parents moved the family to a farm in rural Scotland to farm for the war effort–raising cattle, sheep, hens and market vegetables. Despite it being wartime, the Barr children enjoyed an idyllic young childhood on the farm.
After attending boarding school, Ann enrolled at University of Edinburgh. She was active in student drama and loved living with friends on the West Bow. At university, she met and married Stephen Jackson. Together the young couple immigrated to Canada in 1962. Stephen travelled ahead to begin a job; at age 24, Ann travelled alone with a two-year-old and an infant but always spoke of coming to Canada as “a great adventure”. The young couple emigrated along with a wave of thousands of UK citizens looking for adventure, opportunities, and to build a new life in Commonwealth countries.
Ann was a pioneer in the women’s movement in Ontario through the late 60’s and 70’s, and started the first women’s shelter in Peterborough at the YWCA in 1976. She had a deep and abiding commitment to social issues and improving housing for the vulnerable, women, and children. In 1977, her marriage ended and she began to work for the Peterborough Children’s Aid Society. In the 1980s her children had grown and left home and Ann was ready for her next adventure.
In 1987, Ann arrived in Ottawa to study for her Masters of Social Work at Carleton. She thrived being back in the classroom and graduated in 1989. After graduation she joined the Ottawa CAS where she served in a number of roles until retirement in 2001. In retirement, Ann enjoyed a rich and full second act, retraining as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, volunteering to assist older women to learn English, particularly Rwandan women who had survived ethnic war; she also traveled to Cuba to teach English to Cuban workers. Ann regularly attended summer classes at the Haliburton School of Art and Design, pursuing painting, drawing, batik, and pottery classes. In 2015 she moved to New Edinburgh Square (NES) Retirement Residence, where she led activities including knitting and crafting, poetry readings and current affairs discussions. She also wrote extensively about her early life and shared her “stories” with the other retirement home residents.
Ann nurtured and raised three children, Birgit Rona (Mark), Kirsty Ann (Michael pre-deceased) and Anne Marie (Steven). Ann was a loving Grannie to Carin Jackson Donaldson (pre-deceased), Erica (Kirsten), Hillary (Daemon), Len Predko and doting Great Grannie to Orlando and Casper.
The family would like to recognize the wonderful care of the fifth-floor team at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Ann passed away peacefully with family at her side.
A celebration of Ann’s life will take place at Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services on May 3 at 2:00 pm. If you wish to recognize Ann, please consider the Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa, or the charity of your choice.
For those who cannot attend there will be a livestream starting at 2:30pm,
Sign the digital guestbook